The Looming Darkness
by Knight of Wattala
Summary: He thought that he was doing the right thing, they were just too far apart to ever be together. But now, as his nation descends into chaos. Zuko can no longer ignore the calling in his heart, and he must make the hard choices. Zutara/Taang. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Prolouge

_A/N: I do not own ATLA, nor do I make any profit from this story. _

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**_Prologue :The Night Under the Comet_**

The sky was a spectacular shade of crimson and orange, in the distance, a large fiery orb could be seen blazing through the sky, leaving behind a trail of fire. Zuko could feel the power of the comet coursing through him, the energy threatening to overwhelm all sense of self-control and restraint. It was like a thundering river held back by a dam. Who would have thought that the one thing that made him so powerful could also be the one thing that could lead to his destruction? The only thing that kept him sane was a _need_ to be sane.

Zuko's eyes widened as a powerful wave of blue fire was hurled at his face, he called the power to his hands and unfurled a massive barrier that split the powerful wave in two. For a moment a bright light blinded him as the two flames collided. Eventually, the flames disappeared, and he was able to see his opponent across the Agni Kai arena. Azula was panting now, panting with exhaustion, with outrage, fear and panic. Zuko knew a weakened opponent when he saw one.

He had her right where she should be, he should have felt glee, but instead, Zuko felt nothing.

Taking advantage of her exhaustion, Zuko unfurled a powerful stream of fire followed by a large cartwheel. The sudden attack caught Azula off guard and she leapt aside to avoid it. It was evident now, the look on her face told him that she was shocked that her brother could do this to her, shocked that he could equal her. Zuko knew that she would try something different. He was not disappointed.

Azula summoned her impressive blue flames to her hands and feet and began skiing across the arena.

Zuko couldn't help but smirk at this, looks like his sister was becoming predictable.

As long she was moving, she was defenceless, now was his chance. He aimed at her feet, trying to get her off balance, stream after stream of blazing fire, the surrounding buildings burning to the ground because of his power.

But even in the pits of her madness, she was too quick for him.

Zuko decided it was not a good idea to follow her. Instead, he got to his feet and performed a spinning kick; fire blazed from his feet and flew in a wide circle to all ends of the arena. The move that outdid Zhao, outdid Azula. She gasped in pain as she lost her balance, every part of her body hitting the unforgiving ground hard. Panting heavily, she got to her feet, barely keeping a steady pose. Zuko looked into those gold eyes but did not see his clever, scheming, vicious sister, instead he saw a person who was empty of soul and mind. If her mind was going mad, then surely she won't be able to perform lightening? Surely it would blow up in her face just like it did in his? Zuko decided to take advantage of this.

"No lightening today?" he called, in a sneering voice. "What's the matter? Afraid I might redirect it?"

He was using her weakness against her it felt cruel to be doing that.

_She won't hesitate _he thought. _She won't hesitate to use my weaknesses against me. _

How right he was.

Azula rose to the bait. "I'll show you lightening!" she roared.

Her hands went through the familiar circular motion that he had once feared. The cackle and roar of raw lightening came alive in her hands. For a brief moment, Zuko was surprised, but it did not matter, he could still counter it. He took a deep breath, feeling the comet enhance his chi in a matter that was both exhilarating and terrifying. He stretched out his hands, his eyes locked with hers.

The prince was ready to end this, he was ready to end this blood feud, and claim his rightful place on the throne, tonight would be his brightest and darkest moment.

Then suddenly, something unexpected happened, for a brief moment, her eyes flickered to his side and then she fired the lightening to his right…. away from him.

Surprised, Zuko turned around to see where Azula aimed the lightning, and his heart stopped as he saw her target. Katara, the most compassionate, kind-hearted, loving and infuriating woman he had ever known. Katara, the most powerful waterbender he had ever seen, Katara, his best friend. Katara, the one person who he trusted her to see him perform his darkest deed, was standing in the direction of the oncoming lightening. She was defenceless; there was no way she could get out of the way in time, and there was no way her waterbending would save her. Azula let out a cruel laugh.

Even in the pits of her madness, she had outsmarted him.

Zuko roared in anger and determination, this was supposed to be their battle; Katara had nothing to do with this. He would not let anyone take her away from him, he would not let anything happen to her, not after what had happened between them under crystal caves of Ba Sing Se, not after the understanding they shared after hunting Yon Rha, he refused to let anything happen to her. Zuko glanced at her large, fearful blue eyes and that was all the motivation he needed. With determination he ran, right in the way of the lightening. Yelling his feelings as he did so.

"NOOOO!!!!"

The lightening was so close and he was in mid-leap. Desperately, he tried to redirect the lightening towards the sky. But he knew he was too late.

The lightening struck him, it felt like a fiery hot spear piercing through his chest with ruthless ferocity. The shock ran through his body in tidal waves, numbing his mind and exposing his body to all the pain possible. He barely felt himself fall to the ground, the pain throbbed through his body, as if he was attached to a hot wire. He curled himself into a ball, hoping that it would abate the flow of pain. He was panting hard, trying to stay awake. He heard somebody call out to him followed by maniacal laughter. Ignoring the agonizing pain, he uncurled himself, and looked around. His vision was blurred, and spots of purple and black clouded his vision, but he could vaguely see a blue blur moving around.

_Katara_!

She needed him, she needed his help, he tried to get up, tried to reach out to her, tell her that he wasn't going to leave her. But his body protested with a bolt of mind numbing pain and he collapsed. He could barely make out the sky from the burning buildings but he knew that he was fighting a losing battle. He was losing consciousness, but he couldn't pass out now. Katara needed him! The thought gave him strength, but it wasn't enough. He felt his world going black, he felt his eyelids drooping, he felt the pain abating. Somebody called out his name, but it was no use. He couldn't save himself, he lost, and now Katara was in the hands of a madwoman.

The pain disappeared, the shocks abated, he opened his eyes and looked around. He was on top of a hill with a tall tree at it's very peak. Zuko gasped in shock and scrambled to his feet, and looked around. The prince could see brown plains for miles but he did not see anyone else.

"Katara!" he yelled. "Katara! Where are you!"

"She cannot hear you, Prince Zuko" said a voice.

Zuko wheeled around, sliding into a firebending posture. A man was standing before him with a kind smile on his face. The man seemed to be ancient, guessing from the long beard that trailed down his chest. He wore dark red robes that were out of fashion in the Fire Nation years ago. The topknot of the crown prince adorned his white head. Zuko realized who it was and gasped.

Avatar Roku smiled at him. "Do not fear, my son" he said. "You are not dead…or at least not entirely"

Zuko took a deep breath in order to calm himself. He needed to find a way out of this.

"What is this place?" he asked his great grand father.

"You are standing in the Farplane" said Roku. "A world that parallels the Spirit World in so many ways, but it is not the Spirit World itself. People who are on the verge of death, or who are not willing to accept their death come here"

"How do I get out of here?" asked Zuko.

"Your fate lies in the hands of your friend" said Roku. "You are clinging on to life with the tiniest of threads"

That did not comfort Zuko one bit. As if sensing his distress, Roku walked upto Zuko and clasped him firmly on the shoulders.

"Don't worry, Prince Zuko, I know that you will live"

Zuko looked up at the near mythical figure of his great grand father.

"How do you know that?"

"Because your destiny is written in the stars, Prince Zuko" said Roku. "From the moment you were born, you were destined to cleanse the sins of your family, as well as my own"

Zuko smiled, humbled by what the avatar was saying. "But your story has only begun, my son. Aang maybe the one who has to maintain balance and peace" continued Roku. "But he cannot do it alone, and neither can you, you will both need each other for the years to come. The fates of the avatar and the Firelord has always been intertwined; my son, but none so like yours and Aang's. Aang needs to keep balance in the world, but you will need to keep balance in the Fire Nation"

"But-"

"Do not be fooled by the term 'four nations' my son. The nations are linked in an intricate balance, if the balance is upset than the entire mechanism will fall out of place"

"But" said Zuko, ready to voice a worry that had been cropping up at the back of his mind. "What if I'm not ready to be Firelord?"

Roku's smile was even more gentle and paternal at this expression of uncertainty. "My son, you must do what's best for you, and not what others expect of you, only then can you achieve your destiny… I would have thought that you would have learned that, by now?"

Zuko smiled sheepishly. Roku turned away with a small frown on his face, before turning back to his descendant.

"It is time for you to return to the physical world, there is one thing I must say"

And that's when Zuko felt it, something was pulling at him, it was an odd sensation he couldn't quite describe.

"What is it?"

"The task given to you can be a great burden, even for one so strong willed as yourself, you cannot fight this battle alone"

Zuko felt it again, the tug was stronger this time and he could feel himself slipping away.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Youwill need somebody who balances you, _perfectly, _someon who is not afraid to fight the good fight beside you"

"What?"

"Follow your heart, Prince Zuko" said Roku. "And your destiny will come to pass"

Roku gave him a small smile. "Goodbye, my son, I will be watching over you"

"Wait!"

Zuko felt himself sinking, with Avatar Roku disappearing from his sights. Suddenly, everything went black, just as he had begun to panic, he felt a searing pain across his chest.

Zuko gasped and opened his eyes, the sky was orange with the comet blazing over his head. A strong smell of ash and burning wood filled his nose. His eyes could see with clarity that he didn't have seconds before he met Roku. The pain was still pretty bad but it wasn't as unbearable as before. Zuko glanced around and saw that Katara was kneeling next to him, her small, delicate hands coated in shimmering water. Zuko could feel the soothing effects of the water, and he sighed in relief. Katara immediately looked up and Zuko could see that she had been crying.

"Thank you, Katara" he said.

"You, idiot!" snapped Katara, banging her fists on the ground. "What were you thinking?"

Zuko's mind went blank; this was not the reaction he was expecting.

"I…"

"You could have been killed!" yelled Katara, not waiting for an explanation. "What if I didn't get to you in time? What if Azula injured me? Zuko! Your chest was a bloody mess, You weren't moving, You were barely breathing and that psychotic bitch _laughing _when she saw you lying on the ground. Zuko, what if you died?"

Tears filled her eyes, and Katara looked away, unable to hold them back anymore. Zuko raised himself to a sitting position; he took Katara's shoulder in one hand and cupped her cheek with the other.

"Katara, please look at me"

The waterbender reluctantly turned to look at him, her eyes were still glistening with emotion, tears were still running down her cheeks in silent streams.

"I didn't mean to make you cry," he said. "I only wanted to save you from Azula's lightening"

"By putting yourself in danger?"

"Yes"

Katara's face was inches from his; he gently wiped the tears from her face, his piercing gold eyes scanned her beautiful, innocent face before returning to her captivating eyes. Not for the first time did he notice how stunning she was. Katara's eyes were wide with surprise, for a moment, Zuko thought that he was crossing the line with his honesty, but he realized that he didn't care. Perhaps it was the comet that was still blazing across the sky, or perhaps because he had come so close to dying, whatever it was, he was no longer listening to his inhibitions.

"Why?"

"I wanted to protect you from Azula" said Zuko. "I want to protect the people I love from my enemies, because you're too important to me"

Zuko's words seemed to have rendered Katara speechless. For a moment, Zuko forgot to breathe, he sat still, wondering if this was the moment when the only girl who ever touched his heart would leave and he'd never see her again. He stared at Katara's face trying to gauge any emotion she felt. After what seemed like ages, Katara spoke.

"How important am I to you, Zuko?" she whispered, in a husky voice.

Zuko growled to himself, enough was enough.

"Let me show you" he whispered.

Without another word, he pulled Katara into a deep kiss. Her lips felt cool against his warm skin, and sweet against his tongue.

Zuko expected the waterbender to push him away, and was momentarily surprised when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and straddled his lap. Her movements caused Zuko to deepen the kiss.

He did not care that this relationship may not work out in the future, he didn't care about their differences nor did he care about the obstacles between them. At that moment in time, Zuko did not want the throne, he did not want to be Firelord, he did want the power, he did not care about his destiny. All he cared about was the girl on his lap, right now Katara was all he needed, all he ever wanted. That night under the comet, all Zuko ever wanted to be was a man on love. Zuko would never forget that night under the comet, the one night he was at peace with the world.

That night under the comet was his darkest hour, as well as his brightest.

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_A/N: My version of how things should have gone down in the finale. _

_ Please leave feedback. I really would like to know what you, the readers think. _


	2. The Past Two Years

_A/N: I would like to thank sokkantylee for her excellent review _

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**Chapter****1**** - ****The Past Two Years**

Katara stared out into the clear, azure ocean, wrapping her arms tightly around her stomach with an anxious look on her face. It had almost been six months since she had heard from her boyfriend, Aang and Katara was starting to get anxious. Katara knew better than to think that something could have happened to him, she knew that Aang was capable of taking care of himself _and _he was with Toph, as far as Katara knew, he was in safe hands. The waterbender had listened to the gossip in the marketplace and was able to derive from the rumours that Aang was currently in the Eastern Earth Kingdom, visiting an 'old friend' Katara didn't need to think further as to who this old friend could be. The fact that she received no word from him, and that she had to rely on second hand gossip to know his whereabouts annoyed her. Katara turned around and her eyes fell her on the Southern Water Tribe, she smiled as she saw just how different it was from the home she had left behind almost three years ago.

It had been over two years since the small band of friends she had come to love as her own family sadly parted ways. Zuko had departed to perform duties as FireLord, while Suki went home with her fellow Kyoshi warriors, but she, Sokka and Toph decided to stay with Aang for a while longer.  
They had spent the past year in the Earth Kingdom, ensuring that the former Fire Nation colonies passed into Earth Kingdom rule quickly and without any disturbances. Katara wasn't surprised to see that a vast number of towns were joyous at the Fire Nation's departure, certain towns held festivals to commemorate the historic occasion and Katara and the others joined in the festivities, only too eager to dance away their troubles after everything they had been , not everything went as smoothly as they hoped, several cities were in uproar over the departure of the Fire Nation, and it had taken days to restore order and to find out the cause of all the distress.

At first, Katara had been surprised that there would be people upset over the Fire Nation's departure, surely these people did not want to live their lives dictated to by foreigners? Surely these people would prefer freedom to prosperity? Sokka had been the first to realize that the people who protested against the exodus of their rulers were wealthy citizens, people who had made their fortune under Fire Nation rule and were now paranoid as to how Earth Kingdom law would treat them. They feared that they would lose all they're property and wealth.

Katara sighed and rubbed her forehead, as she recalled the endless negotiations with pompous delegations and back stabbing politicians as Aang tried to settle a compromise between the Fire Nation settlers and the Earth Kingdom people. It had not been easy trying to talk people into co-existence after a century of war. But Aang was persistent, he refused to relent when his friends lost patience, and he did not back down when daunted. Aang had no interest in politics, but peace and cooperation was something he was willing to strive for. Just as he was making progress, something happened that no one expected.

In a move that stunned the whole world, Firelord Zuko, the man who had helped the Avatar end the Hundred Year War had renounced the throne in favour of Iroh, the Dragon of the West, the man who terrorized the Earth Kingdom. Katara was thankful that Iroh was a sharp man in diplomacy, for he had hastily sent assurances to the Earth Kingdom saying that he had every intention upholding the peace. However, it did little to allay the fears of the former Fire nation colonies, and Aang had to go over the process of reassurances and promises to bring the situation under control.

As time passed people were willing to compromise mainly due to the Avatar's strenuous vouches for the new FireLord, and because the prospect of peace and progress was far more appealing than unnecessary conflict.

Then a year ago, she had received a letter from Kanna and her fomer mentor, Pakku. The letter did not say much, just that, Kanna missed her and Sokka and was thinking about the both of them. It was as if the letter was a window that opened memories of home, and she could clearly recall the vivid visions of snow and ice, igloos and a community life that she thoroughly missed.

The letter was all the excuse she needed to return home, Sokka eager to see home again, decided to go with her, he had some big plans for the tribe, was all that he said. Aang was as she expected sad, grumpy and slightly irritating, as he tried to think of reasons for her to stay (he pretended to be sick) But Katara had made up her mind, she wanted to go home and it had taken a firm tongue lashing to finally make Aang see that.

_That's Aang for you _she thought to herself, a smile grazing her lips _Always the child_.

Katara wondered if the reason he wasn't writing was because what she had said to him.

When Katara returned home, she was surprised to see what lay before her eyes; a bustling city had replaced her small village. The new settlement was four times the size of the village she had left behind, though it was still small compared to their sister tribe in the north, but Katara did not care about the size of the tribe. What made the waterbender so happy was the impact the end of the war had on her fellow tribesmen. The men, now returned from the war filled up the vast hole that had left the community devastated and weak. Everywhere she looked, southerners who had grown up in a world of fear and uncertainty, now looked to the future with optimism and hope. Katara felt elated, upon finally returning to her homeland, her heart swelled with joy at the sight of people whom she had left behind, especially her grandmother. She was thrilled at the familiar scene of snow, penguins and the shades of yellow at sunset.

Despite the initial excitement, it soon wore off and worry began to creep into her mind as she wondered how Aang was doing, and whether he would be all right without them. The days turned to months with no word from Aang and her worry began to claw it's way back to her mind, which brought her to where she was now, outside the walls of her tribe staring into the vast ocean, wondering when and if she would ever hear from her boyfriend again.

_Aang _she thought _What's taking so long? _

Katara still couldn't understand why she was so worried to the point that she had distanced herself from family and friends. Aang had been through so much, there was nothing he couldn't handle and he was with Toph, one of the most skilled earthbenders she had ever seen.

What was there to worry about?

As Katara contemplated her thoughts, she could hear the crunching noises of footsteps. The waterbender turned around and saw her father approaching her. Hakoda's deep-set eyes were trained on his daughter's intense azure pair. A smile spread across her face.

"Hey, dad" she said, walking up to him and giving him a hug.

"Morning, Katara" he said, for a moment father and daughter stood side by side.

Hakoda's eyes were trained on the ocean, smiling at the sight of the rising sun.

"Have you been out all night?" he asked.

"Yeah" replied Katara, smiling at him. "I can't sleep during the full moon, so I thought I'd do some waterbending"

Hakoda smiled. "Something tells me that it wasn't just the full moon that kept you up all night"

Katara looked down, knowing where her father was going with this.

"I'm worried about him, that's all" she said.

Hakoda was silent for a few moments, after awhile he spoke. "I understand how you feel. I know what's like to be so far away from people you love, never knowing where they are, how they're doing, whether they're fine or hurt… that's how I felt about you and Sokka. But doesn't mean that you should isolate yourself from your family and friends"

"I haven't been isolating myself" protested Katara.

"Really? Then why does Sokka complain that he doesn't see you as often as he would like to?"

"He does?" replied Katara.

"Yes, although he told me not to tell you because it's not manly to talk about such things"

Katara smiled at the thought.

"Katara, look at me"

Katara looked up at her father's eyes, and saw hidden within those blue eyes, a hidden depth of wisdom.

"Do you really think that Aang would want you to be like this? Sulking in the middle of the night when you could be with your family and friends? Do you really think Aang would be happy about the fact that you've been isolating yourself, just because you let your worry get the better of you?"

Katara turned away and the sigh of resignation was all the answer Hakoda needed. Deciding, that a change in topic was needed, Hakoda looked towards the ocean. The sun was rising, casting a pale yellow light upon the snow; Katara could feel it's weak warmth crawl into her skin.

"Look at the horizon, Katara" said Hakoda. "And tell me what do you see?"

Katara's eyes blue eyes scanned the ocean, expecting to see a ship or something, but there was nothing but clear blue sea and the occasional iceberg.

"I don't see anything" she said. "Nothing but the ocean and ice"

"When I was gone I would always get up before the others at sunrise and look at the sun as it rose, your mother and I used to do this" said Hakoda.

Katara's breath caught in her throat and the unexpected mention of her mother but other than that she gave no sign of her grief.

"The horizon was endless" said Hakoda. "A shimmering line that extended beyond sight and I would think to myself that once the war was over, the possibilities for our tribe are endless, just like the horizon"

Katara suddenly had an idea of where this was going.

"Katara our tribe is rebuilding itself, with each passing day we grow stronger and one day our home will become the beautiful city that it was always meant to be"

Hakoda looked down at Katara, his eyes shining with compassion.

"Katara, I want you to be apart of the rebuilding process your contribution would be invaluable and it would get your mind off Aang"

Katara thought about her father's words. What he said was true, the tribe was rebuilding itself and Katara wanted to be apart of the process.

"On one condition" she said.

Hakoda smiled. "Name it" he said.

"Sokka, does _not _get to boss me around"

Hakoda threw his head back and laughed appreciatively.

"Don't worry. He's got the entire tribe to boss around" he said. "Do you want to come inside? I'm sure you must be hungry" he said.

Katara smiled and turned towards the tribe, wanting to be in her father's company. Together father and daughter made their way towards the walls of the Southern Tribe, Hakoda's arm was around Katara's shoulder as a pleasant, companionable silence fell between them. Katara reflected on her father's words and knew that he was right. Aang wouldn't be happy at the thought of her sulking just because he didn't write a letter to her, Aang was probably too busy and couldn't find the time or the materials to do so. Katara looked up at her father, he had been through so much in the past few years, being away from his family for so long, she felt bonded to him and Sokka by their mutal loss.

"I remember the days when you and Sokka were so young" said Hakoda. "Kya would be so worried when you weren't in her sight, she never returned to the tent unless you two were safely inside, don't worry about Aang, Katara, he will be fine"

Katara smiled at the reference to her mother, she too remembered how anxious her mother was whenever she and Sokka went outside to play and she absolutely forbade them to go beyond tribe's walls. Kya would scold them whenever they stayed out till dark, but Katara also saw the light in her mother's eyes told her that she was more happy than angry.

The waterbender was happily basking in Hakoda's comparison between her and her mother when something suddenly occurred to her.

"Dad?" said Katara, apprehensively.

"What is it, Katara?"

"When you said that you know exactly I felt for Aang, what exactly did you mean?"

Hakoda looked at Katara with a look of concern on his face, before saying.

"I said I know how you feel because I can relate to your feelings for Aang….because that's how I feel about you and Sokka"

Katara gasped in surprise and horror, and broke contact with her father.

"Are you saying that I'm like Aang's _mother_?"

"I didn't say that" said Hakoda, quickly.

"But you implied it!" cried Katara, her voice rising to a hysterical tone. "Dad, Aang is my _boyfriend_, not my son!"

"I" said Hakoda. "Didn't notice"

Katara yelled in frustration, "You're just like Sokka!" she yelled. "Both of you are such idiots!"

She turned around and stomped away through the snow.

"Katara, wait!"

"Go away!" snapped Katara.

The waterbender stomped her away through the snow, with Hakoda following not too far behind.

"She's as bad as her grandmother" murmured Hakoda, shaking his head.

Hakoda and Katara entered the Southern Water Tribe through a massive ice gate ingrained with the water tribe symbol. Two waterbenders manned the wall, nodded at the Chieftain and his daughter before bending the gate open for them.

Sokka had designed these gates as a temporary measure of defence, Katara vaguely recalled him ranting on about putting more sophisticated defences similar to the ones in the North. Overcome by the change his home had undergone, Sokka had busied himself with several buildings that he knew, that the community would appreciate. Every single man who was deemed useful was worked to the bone (including his grandfather, Pakku) as he tried to achieve his ambitious projects in the shortest time possible. Katara had hardly seen him since she had moved home. She spent most of her time training with the other waterbenders who came from the North with Master Pakku and training the young children who had come from the Northern Water Tribe. The interests of the two siblings inevitably drove them apart. The last time she saw her brother was a week ago when he was jabbering on about steam baths, Katara had slipped out of her home that day and didn't come back until late night when she couldn't stay out any longer.

Katara marched her way through the streets of various buildings, ignoring the looks from many of the people. A mother and her two children passed by, they recognised Katara and waved at her, she waved back only half-heartedly. The waterbender noticed a couple of boys around her age ogling at her and she growled angrily, if anyone tried another cheesy pick up line, the only answer they will get is a sharp swat from her water whip. Katara made her way through the tribe towards the large mansion where she and her family lived.

The house she shared with her family was the only two-storey house in the tribe, as it also happened to have the most occupants. She rushed past her grandfather without saying a word to him, her former master merely looked at her, one eyebrow raised in bewilderment.

"Katara" he called. "Is everything alright?"

Katara took a deep breath; she turned around and bowed to her former master.

"Everything's fine, Pakku" she said, unlike Sokka, Katara could see that her grandfather did not like outrageous names like. 'Gramp Gramp'

"Well I should hope so" he said. "Perhaps you would take care not to bulldoze me to the ground next time you pass through?"

Katara bit back a response, Pakku maybe apart of the family but he could still be a jerk.

"I'll try to keep that in mind" she said.

Pakku's lips twisted into a small smirk. "I have something for you" he said, pulling out a scroll and handing it to her. "Bato came over and gave this to me, apparently it just came in"

Katara took the scroll, bowed to Pakku before disappearing up the stairs into her room. Pakku stared in the direction his student had gone before he heard footsteps. Turning around, he saw Hakoda climb up the steps to the front door. Pakku frowned at him, the bending master did not know how to act around his wife's son, to him, Hakoda represented the decades that he had lost with Kanna, he was also undeniable evidence that his wife had married and loved another while he refused all other suitors, still in love with his fiance and also bitter at her disappearance. As Hakoda approached the doorway, Pakku raised an eyebrow.

"What did you say to her?"

Hakoda raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I said something to her?"

Pakku shrugged. "You're too much like your son, annoying" he said.

Hakoda narrowed his eyes at the master before he disappered into the house.

Katara rushed up the stairs into her room, she had recognized the writing on the scroll the moment that she saw it, and could not wait to read it's contents.

_Finally _she thought. _He's finally written. _

After waiting for so long, it was finally here, Aang had finally written to her. The waterbender rushed into her room and collapsed on the furs that made up her bed. With an ecstatic look on her face, she opened the scroll and read it's contents.

_Hey Katara_

_Sorry I took so long to write to you, it's just been so hectic lately. After you guys left Toph and I went to Omashu, Bumi may have taken back the city but the Fire Nation did a lot of damage and there's a lot of repair work to be done. It was hard work and exhausting, and Toph didn't make things any easier when she kept chucking rocks at me at every possible moment! Bumi says it's because she's attracted to me but we both know how Bumi thinks. _

Katara couldn't help but giggle at the picture that formed in her mind's eye. Toph chucking rocks at Aang, and the airbender running for his life.

_Toph said she wanted to stop at Gaoling for sometime to try and smooth things over with her parents. I'm not sure how that will go down but at least she's trying to reconcile and I'm really proud of her. After that, the two of us are taking a break and heading to the South Pole to visit you guys! It'll be great, the gang reunited once again…. except Zuko and Suki wouldn't be there. I don't know about Suki, but Zuko has been really busy with some complicated stuff, which Iroh told me not to disclose in writing. But still it will be fun!!! Can't wait to see you and Sokka. _

_ Love, Aang. _

Katara's anxiety vanished, upon reading the letter, only to be replaced by a different emotion. Happiness began to course through her veins, at the thought of seeing her best friend and boyfriend, after so long. Katara's eyes skimmed over the letter once again with a smile on her face, finally he would be coming to visit her. The waterbender briefly wondered what Aang would say when he saw her home and how much it had changed, he would be happy, elated, at the fact that the tribe was recovering from a devastating war. He would no doubt play swing with the small children he met, he would use the night tower that Sokka had built as a slide causing it's designer to spasm, he would show off on his glider for all the children to 'ooh' and 'aah' and he would definitely spend a lot of time in the bathhouses.

Katara sighed contently and placed the letter on her table and lay on her bed. Katara tried her best not to think about the other person mentioned in the letter, the man who had chosen his country over her, as was expected of him. Katara shouldn't have been surprised when she heard Zuko say those words, she shouldn't have been surprised when he decided it was best that their parted. Katara should have known that Zuko would inevitably chose his country over her, he was after all a Prince, and she was just a mere peasant to the Fire Prince, even though she was considered to be a princess in the southern tribe. Zuko would be expected to marry a Fire Nation noble, someone who knew the dealings of court and how they worked, someone who would be quite, regal, soft spoken and well-mannered. Katara did not have it in her to scheme or connive, and she would be damned if she was going to lead a life dictated by her husband. She should have known that their relationship would never have worked, but a small tiny part of her hoped that things would change. She had hoped that Zuko would have the strength to defy what the country expected of him, just as he had defied his father. But it was not to be.

When she had returned to the South Pole, Katara had written a letter to Zuko, hoping to salvage any form of friendship from their brief relationship, but he had not replied. Somehow, Katara was not surprised that he had not replied even though it had been almost a month. Zuko was obviously eager to forget about their brief time together. Katara curled up in her bed, desperately trying to hold back the tears threatening to overwhelm her, and ignoring the hurt she felt.

_Perhaps it's time for me to forget about Zuko as well _thought Katara.

* * *

_A/N: I bet you guys are wondering what happened? No worries, more details on what happened later. _


	3. Impending Chaos

_A/N: I would like to thank Rohain Tanquil LadyoftheHouseofMoon, doctor anthony and Gongsun Du for your excellent reviews, seriously you guys flatter me. In response to your question, Gongsun Du, no, I don't have a book at the moment, but who knows? I might have a few in the distant future. I certainly have a few ideas. _

* * *

**_Chapter 2_ – **_**Impending Chaos**_

_To His Majesty FireLord Iroh, honorary Dragon of the West and Former General of the 21st Division._

_Status report in regard to the provinces targeted for Reconstruction with the deadline set at the end of winter, 102 ASC._

_Names of respective provinces: Hu-Yun, Xhian and Faru _

_**Current Status of Hu – Yun: **_

_Unemployment numbers: __**Fallen **__from 5,000 to 4,500 _

_Progress since last report: _

_Five blocks of housing have been provided for the low-income earners outside of the town of Minh._

_Factory has been reopened with safety protocols in place. _

_Construction of Fire Academy for Boys should be complete within the coming week. _

_**Current Status of Xhian: **_

_Unemployment numbers: __**Fallen **__from 3,000 to 2,600 _

_Progress since previous report: _

_The required staff needed to run the hospital complex with efficiency has been obtained. _

_Local factory has been closed down and plans to convert the factory from tank production to agricultural equipment will be implemented within the coming week. _

_Unemployment expected to fall further when the factory reopens. _

_**Current Status of Faru: **_

_Unemployment numbers: __**Increased **__from 4,500 tp 5,000_

_**Cause: Immigration from the former Fire Nation colonies. **_

_Decided action:_

_(Long- term solution) Jobs to be provided through various industries, primarily the construction industry_

_(Short- term solution)- The local shipbuilding factory should remain open to prevent soaring levels of unemployment. _

_**Current Issues: **_

_Hu-Yun: _

_Civilians of low-income groups have taken to the streets of Minh in protest, no damage inflicted on property but militia cannot be used indefinitely to maintain order._

**_Cause: Rise in prices of basic commodities, particularly rice. _**

_Fears of deteriorating public order in the city of North Chung-Ling, minor damage inflicted to public property and assault rates are rising._

**_Cause: Lack of employment opportunities for ex-soldiers and young males. _**

_Xhian: _

_Attacks by yet to be known rebel forces on outlying villages and towns, suspected rebel movement._

**_Recommended Action: _**

_The following reinforcements are recommended:_

_One regiment of Komodo-rhino cavalry_

_One regiment of firebenders_

_The following civilian reinforcements are recommended:_

_Fifteen engineers_

_The following resources are needed to further construction and repairs._

_A shipload of wood to further reconstruction plans in Faru._

_A shipload of coal to repair roads in port cities and commercial towns in the Hun- Yu province._

**_Conclusion of report _**

_Yours truly, Captain of the Dragon Regiment, Heir to the Throne of the Fire Nation, Prince Zuko._

Iroh read the report with frown on his face and a cup of soothing, jasmine tea in his left hand. The former general couldn't help but observe that Zuko was, in general, successful in his schemes to rebuild the provinces that suffered plenty of hardship during the war. But he couldn't help but be critical of his nephew's solutions, particularly in regard to the attacks on the outlying villages. Zuko would not win if he hoped to crush the rebels by brute force. On the contrary, should the rebels be defeated by the military it would only inspire an already irate populace. Zuko needed to be patient when dealing with these rebels and demonstrate cunning, if he was to win this battle.

_That's exactly the problem_ thought Iroh. _Zuko doesn't like playing games with his opponents_.

Iroh sighed and sipped his tea, he would have to neglect Zuko's request for the firebending regiment hoping he would get the message.

The report was a strong reminder of the problems that the Fire Nation was facing and will continue to face in the near future.

The Hundred Year War had undoubtedly been profitable for the Fire Nation, particularly after his father had established colonies in the Earth Kingdom. Ozai was able to import resources in massive quantities at very low prices and in return the Fire Nation had markets for their exports. Despite the incredible wealth, the ordinary citizens had not benefited for much of the money was channelled into the war effort, people had suffered as Ozai choose to treat his people as slaves, but loyalty to the country and the fact that the Fire Nation was doing well in the war, ensured that there were no complaints of any sort.

The situation had changed, the day Zuko declared the war over. With no war to fuel the economy, the Fire Nation was suddenly plunged into an unprecedented era of suffering.

To make matters worse, Zuko agreed to withdraw troops from the colonies in the first Peace Summit a year ago, prices shot through the roof, angering the people and revenue into the country seized because trade routes were never established in the first Peace Summit.

Zuko had proposed plans to divert remaining resources into the reconstruction of provinces neglected during wartime and ones that had great potential for the country. The prince also proposed plans for the development of alternate industries that were export friendly, and strict regulations on factory production so that the natural environment was not compromised. Iroh was proud that his nephew was able to convince the Dragon High Council to back his plan, Zuko's plans was named 'Reconstruction' and soon became the most expensive plan in the history of the Fire Nation. Never before had the royal family planned to spend so much money on their people.

The prince had first gone to the islands of Zhibar and Conchen, seeing two great trading locations. After six months worth of hard work, Zuko's plan had paid off; Zhibar and Conchen were firmly established trading ports and were already sending shipments around the country. Yet this small success alone was not enough, and the people continued to struggle. There were other places that were neglected during the war and needed attention. Zuko's plans were like a machine that would only work once all the parts were repaired, and there were a lot of parts to repair.

Iroh sighed, the situation in the country was already volatile enough without the rise of rebels. Iroh was not intimidated by the thought of the rebels themselves, truth be told, he was not surprised at the rising level of insurgency in the country. What truly disturbed him was how little they knew about them. If they were the cause of the riots that took place across the cities in the Fire Nation then that could only mean their influence was deep. Iroh pushed aside the report and took a map that was lying in the corner of his desk. Looking at the map of the Fire Nation, Iroh carefully observed the cross marks across names of settlements; indicating that riots or abductions had taken place. The Firelord noticed that the riots in the outer islands had taken place within a week. How could ten or more cities fall to anarchy in less than a week? Even if the riots were spontaneous, it failed to explain how they happened in such a short space of time, especially when you take into consideration that most of the cities were isolated on islands.

It was almost as if the riots were coordinated…

The rebels were just the tip of the iceberg and they could complicate relations with the other three nations. The Second Peace Summit would take place at Kyoshi, within a few weeks. The purpose of the Summit would be to discuss trade and other 'measures to ensure international stability' Iroh knew that the Earth Kingdom nor the Water Tribes will make agreements with the Fire Nation, if the rebels continued to sow the seeds of anarchy. To an outsider, it looked like Iroh's government was crumbling.

Iroh had decided to send Zuko to lead the Fire Nation delegation. It made sense that the prince should go, he was after all the one who ended the war during his brief reign as Firelord and fought side-by-side with the Avatar, two great bargaining chips he had on his side. Zuko had a much better chance of making progress in the Summit than the Dragon of the West, the general who terrorized the Earth Kingdom.

Iroh himself would have gone with the prince to help him, but he refused to tempt the ministers with his absence. It was after all, one of the reasons why Zuko made Iroh Firelord, Zuko dealt with the masses while Iroh dealt with the courts. It was a unique relationship, where anyone who was clever enough, could see that Zuko was the man with the real authority even though he was the Prince. Reconstruction was his creation, and with that, the nation's resources were in Zuko's hands. If he wanted to, he could easily overrule Iroh's decisions and take the initiative on his own.

Iroh sipped his tea and looked out through the window, it was only mid-morning but the sun was set pretty low on the horizon casting a pink hue over the Imperial City, a sign of winter approaching.

Iroh vaguely wondered about the young Avatar and his group of friends and whether Zuko had kept in touch. The Firelord had advised Zuko to ask the airbender for help if he ever needed it, Zuko would have someone he knew he could trust, by his side and it would also help garner international favour. But Iroh knew that Zuko would only call upon his friends when he had nowhere else to go, that, or the prince did not want to face the avatar, especially after what happened at the balcony, eighteen months ago. It was only a week after Zuko had renounced the throne for Iroh, and the former General had gone looking for his nephew to commence a gathering of the council. Iroh found the prince on the balcony with a certain waterbender, as soon as he saw them, they broke apart with guilty looks on their faces.

Iroh chuckled to himself, as he remembered walking in by accident. He wondered what could have happened if he hadn't walked in on Zuko and Katara, and the thought made him smile.

_Looks like grandchildren aren't too far away, after all_ he thought to himself.

Then remembering that he had a meeting to attend, Iroh drained the remainder of his tea and rose from his desk. The Firelord folded the report carefully and placed it in a drawer in his desk.

_ This will not be easy_ he thought, as he walked out of his office.

* * *

The sky was clear, pristine blue, as the sun shone weakly upon the city. Two years ago, the city of North Chung-Ling once reeked with arrogance with it's wide boulevards and imposing structures, a city that gloated of overflowing coffers of gold and chests full of sliver, a cosmopolitan settlement where the wealthiest, as well as the seediest citizens in the country lived side-by-side in makeshift harmony.

But today, the city no longer gleamed with industrial glamour, it's boulevards did not look as impressive as it once did, and it's building, though still grand, no longer gleamed in the sunlight. It's wide streets were still busy, as people hurried about their business, trying their best to make ends meet. The chimneys no longer coughed out smoke but instead, were rigged with metal and wooden support structures, as the factories were closed for renovation.

A camp was set up on a hill that overlooked the city.

The camp consisted of fifty white tents aligned in a neat and precise order. A red and gold circle marked each tent with two dragons circling each other in a large circle, one white, the other red; it was the symbol of the Dragon Throne. The tent in the centre of the camp was by far the largest one and by far, the most furbished. It's occupant was, at the moment, staring down on the city below him, with bright golden eyes. The prince of the Fire Nation turned towards his second-in-command who was waiting by his side.

"Has Governor Chen sent the report that I requested?" said Zuko.

His second-in-command, a young man around his own age with dark, spiky hair and brown eyes shook his head.

"There has been no word from the governor"

He turned towards the city with a dispassionate look on his face.

"You'd think that he would have the sense to do that, now that you're here"

Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The prince growled in frustration, it had been like this all over the country.

_ What is it with governors and sheer stupidity? _thought Zuko.

"I don't want a confrontation" said the prince. "But clearly Governor Chen is asking for trouble"

Zuko's second-in-command stroked his tan face, as he spoke.

"I always said that you were too kind to these imbeciles" he said. "My offer to roast their feet over a pyre still stands"

"Lee"

"Yes, my prince?" said the second-in-command.

"How many times do I have to tell you, that I have no intention of dealing with problems the way my father did?"

Lee raised an eyebrow in surprise. "He roasted their feet over pyres?"

"Worse"

"Well, can you blame him?" said Lee. "I mean…clearly the Governor has no respect for you…if you make an example out of one, the rest will fall in line"

"I fear your solutions will make things worse rather than better"

Lee was undeterred. "Well, my offer still stands"

Zuko turned to Lee and gave him a small smile.

The prince turned around and made his way through the camp, Lee immediately walking alongside him. Many captains were not personal friends with their second-in-command, and in fact, personal friendship was discouraged among officers of rank. But Zuko wasn't any typical officer, and Lee had proven himself to be an exceptional second-in-command.

Zuko first met Lee over two years ago, when he was looking for a captain for his guard. Lee had come to his door, discovered and recommended by Iroh. At first, Zuko was very apprehensive of Lee, his odd humour and tendency to act silly, reminded the prince of Sokka. But over time, Zuko had come to trust Lee for he was intelligent, skilled and more importantly, extremely loyal.

As the two firebenders made their way through camp, a rather short man with a bulky build and chestnut brown hair approached them, he bowed deeply to his commanding officers.

"Your Majesty, a messenger is here from Governor Chen"

Zuko exchanged glances with Lee.

"Did he say why he's here?" asked Zuko. "A report that you requested, sir" said the soldier. Zuko nodded. "Very well, send the messenger to my tent, Sen Su, I will be with him shortly" Su Sen nodded and walked away. Lee's eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

"Awfully good timing by the Governor, my prince"

"I was just thinking the same thing" said Zuko.

"He chooses this moment to send a report that you've been asking for, for the past two weeks"

Zuko looked at Lee, and knew that they had come to the same conclusion.

"The Governor is hiding something" said Zuko. "And I'm willing to bet my dual swords that the report was an attempt to appease me"

"The question is _what for_ and _why_?" said Lee.

"Come on" said Zuko. "Let's go meet this messenger with his report"

The prince made his way through the camp, men nodded and saluted him as he passed by, but he did not respond, as his mind was too preoccupied, Lee on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the temporary attention.

"Hey, Ji!" he yelled, to a soldier who was passing by. "Tonight! Sunshine Alcove! Don't go without me!"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Gambling?"

Lee turned to him with a smirk. "Gambling? How can I gamble without any money in my pockets? Nah, Sunshine Alcove is concubine palace"

Zuko's eyebrows shot up into his bangs.

"A what!" he yelled, rounding on Lee.

The soldier did not seem fazed.

"I'm broke, my prince, you pay me such a generous salary for my exceptional services, so I figured that I'd spend what little money I have on something worthwhile"

"Paid sex is something worthwhile?" asked Zuko, testily.

"Well" said Lee, tentatively. "It's certainly not _honourable _but it's definitely worthwhile"

Zuko let out a puff of steam, spending money on a concubine palace would allow the underworld to grow, something Zuko was trying to prevent. The situation was already bad enough without his soldiers squandering his reputation.

As if sensing, his growing anger, Lee smiled. "Perhaps you should come too, my prince, you could use some practice…and maybe the extra exercise might improve things between you and Mai"

All at once, Zuko's anger disappeared, the prince rolled his eyes.

_Lee's at it again _he thought to himself.

It was something the soldier did regularly. Teasing Zuko about his love life, which was, at the moment, at a very bad place. For all he knew, Sunshine Alcove could be a teashop.

The messenger was waiting for Zuko inside his tent. Apart from a bed, a small desk no larger than a Pai Sho table and a set of cushions placed in a circle on the floor, the tent was empty.

"Your Majesty" said the messenger, giving a pompous bow, as Zuko entered the tent. "I am honoured to finally-"

"You have the report?" said Zuko, with a bite of impatience in his voice; he was in a grouchy mood.

Lee who was standing in a corner, sniggered contemptuously. The messenger nodded solemnly, as he handed over a thick scroll.

The tent was filled with an awkward silence as Zuko read it's contents. The messenger swallowed thickly and cast nervous glances at Lee, who was glaring at the messenger as if he was about to eat him at any moment.

"May I wait outside, Your Majesty?" said the messenger. "I would prefer a change in view, the one in here is…."

His eyes flickered on to Lee."Rather awkward"

"This seems to be in order" said Zuko, ignoring the messenger's request. "Kindly inform the Governor that I would be inspecting the factories today"

Zuko looked at the messenger expecting a reaction and he was not disappointed.

The messenger's eyes widened in shock, before he composed himself, it was only for a split second, but Zuko caught the look of surprise on his face.

"I mean no offence to his Majesty, when I say this" said the messenger, sounding rather nervous. "But Governor Chen has an endless list of appointments today and he cannot -"

Zuko suddenly lost his patience.

_Who do these people think they're dealing with_? He thought.

"Listen to me very closely, messenger" said Zuko, and his voice dropped to a dangerous hiss. "You tell Governor Chen that I don't care about how many appointments he has, if he's not there when I arrive at his house, he will face the wrath of the Dragon Throne"

"And trust me" added Lee, a bright fire came alive in his open palm. "Those who serve the Dragon Throne are very precise _and very deadly_"

Zuko watched with satisfaction as a bead of sweat tinkered down the messenger's throat, and when he spoke it was with a nervous stutter.

"W-w-when can I expect his Majesty?"

Zuko smirked as the messenger literally quaked with fear.

"You don't expect me" he said. "Just know that I may be there at anytime of the day, so be ready"

The messenger nodded. "Is there anything else, your Majesty?"

"Yes, take this letter to your Governor" said Zuko, holding a scroll out. "It contains what I have just said in writing"

The messenger nodded, bowed to his prince and hurried out of the tent. Lee watched him go with a snigger of amusement, before turning back to Zuko.

"You do realize that you can't enter the city with the regiment if you're planning on surprising Chen?"

"I know" said Zuko, as if it were nothing new to him. "Don't worry, I have a plan"

Just as he spoke, Sen Su entered the tent, with a harried look on his face.

"Your Majesty! You must come quickly"

Zuko exchanged glances with Lee before both men ran out of the tent. The two friends followed Sen Su to the hill where Zuko had been standing, only moments ago. The entire regiment was standing there looking down at something. They made way for Zuko and Lee as they pushed through the small crowd.

"Over there" said Sen Su, pointing at the city below. Lee gasped and Zuko's eyes widened in horror.

It seemed as if order had broken down in North Chung-Ling. Several messenger hawks screeched in unison as they took the skies, trying to get away from the smoke that was rising in clouds from the city. Buildings were ablaze with fire, and Zuko could see people running around in sheer panic, screams of desperate people reached his ears as he visibly winced at the chaos.

"What in the world…" gasped one of his soldiers.

"It's a riot," whispered Lee.

Zuko's mind immediately kicked into action.

"Prepare the regiment," he said to Lee. "We're going down there"

Lee turned towards the rest of his men and began to bark orders. Fifty men kicked into action at once, Zuko alone, remained motionless, he could clearly recall Lee's words just moments ago.

_The governor is hiding something; the question is what and why._

_

* * *

_

_A/N: North Chung-Ling was the city where Toph went on a scamming streak before she and the others were ambushed by Combustion Man. It was known as Fire Fountain City during the war (named after the massive statue of Ozai) but I figured that Zuko would want to revert it back to it's old name. _


	4. Obligations and Feelings

_A/N: I want to thank Rohain Tahquil, doctor anthony and Gongsun Du for their positive comments. Keep it going guys. _

* * *

**_Chapter 3- Obligations and Feelings _**

Nights in the Eastern Earth Kingdom were known to be peaceful and soothing, and tonight was certainly no exception. A breeze gently rustled the long grass of seemingly endless plains. It was a beautiful night for stargazing; a cloudless sky of twinkling stars glimmered in a subtle and enthralling beauty, a view that would have captivated the human eye. The city of Gaoling was quiet, not a soul could be seen moving through the cobbled streets, the only sign of life was a small campfire on a hill that overlooked the city.

Aang stared into the depths of the fire, chewing the dried plums that made up his dinner. With a sigh, the airbender glanced at the earth tent on the other side of the fire, with a look of concern on his face. Toph's reunion with her parents did not go as well as either of them had hoped. The earthbender had been silent and distant, ever since the heated discussion, but Aang knew that she would come out sooner or later, she had not eaten and Aang knew that she didn't like to stay hungry. Out of the corner of his eye, Aang caught a flash of white fur and turned around. A certain lemur was crouching low to the ground, reaching for a knapsack.

"No, Momo!" said Aang. "The food is for Toph, you just had your leechy nuts. Don't be greedy"

Momo grumbled incomprehensively, before flying off to join Appa, who was already dozing contently some distance from the fire. Aang heard a low thud and looked around. Toph had finally come out of a tent, and was marching towards Aang with intent. Aang looked at his friend, and noticed that she looked oddly dishevelled. Without saying a word, Toph sat next to Aang.

"Where's my food?" she said, in a rather odd voice. "I'm hungry"

"Here" said Aang, placing the knapsack in her hands.

Aang looked at her, as Toph plunged a small, pale hand into the knapsack and pulled out some dry meat.

An awkward silence ensued, as Toph ate her dinner, even though they had left Gaoling behind, the memories of the harsh words exchanged was still clear in Aang's mind. Aang glanced at Toph studying her side profile intently. The airbender had never known what parents were like, he could not relate to other kids who knew their mothers and fathers. But he knew what it was like to love someone like a father, it was the way he felt about Gyatso, and Aang was pretty certain, Toph loved and looked up to her own father, the way he had to Gyatso. Therefore, he was able to understand how Toph was feeling at the moment. Aang took a deep breath, enough silence they had to talk.

"Listen Toph, I want to say something"

"What is it?"

"About your parents, the monks used to say that-"

Aang stopped when Toph heaved a sigh.

"Toph?"

"I don't want to hear it"

"Hear what?"

"What the monks have to say" she said.

"But, Toph" protested Aang. "The monks-"

"No, Aang" said Toph, there was bite of impatience to her voice. "The monks never had parents who banished them from their home, the monks never had fathers who called them a disgrace to their family and hired thugs to kidnap her, the monks never met their mothers who would have turned their backs to them when they pleaded them to understand, and besides, just because you live by monk mumbo jumbo, doesn't mean we have to, as well"

Aang opened his mouth and closed it, when he suddenly realized that Toph did have a point, but it still hurt.

"Fine" he snapped. "Enjoy your dinner" he added, as he got up to leave.

"Aang, wait" said Toph, in a voice that was almost pleading.

Inspite of his anger, Aang stopped what he was doing, though he still had his back turned to her.

"Aang, Did you really mean those things you said about me back there?" she said.

Aang turned around to face her out of all the things he expected her to say, he wasn't expecting this.

"Back where?"

"Back in my parent's house"

Aang blushed as he looked away; he failed to notice that Toph was blushing just as much as he was.

"Of course I did," said Aang. "I meant every word"

He risked a glance at Toph and found out to his surprise, that she was smiling.

"You have no idea how much that means to me, Aang" she said softly.

And suddenly Aang felt it; a warm fuzzy feeling began creeping into his stomach, his breathing temporarily hitched.

"Are you alright?" asked Toph.

Aang let out a nervous laugh. "I'm great" he said.

Toph paused for a moment before she spoke. "I'm sorry about what I said about the monks" she said. "I know how much their stuff means to you"

Aang shrugged, "It's okay," he said. "You do have a point, the monks never knew who their real parents were"

Another pause followed, as both friends struggled with the words to say.

"Well" said Toph, getting up and stretching. "Thanks for the food, I'd better go to sleep"

Aang raised an eyebrow. "So soon?"

"Yeah, not all of us are firebenders you know" said Toph, walking to her earth tent. "I need to keep myself warm"

"I'd like to keep you warm"

Every living being in the camp froze, Aang gasped in horror and covered his mouth with both hands.

"What?" said Toph.

_What did I just say? _thought Aang, desperately. "I mean…I mean…man, the air sure is stuffy here isn't? I better go for a quick round with my air glider. Just to clear my head. Good night Toph! See you in the morning!"

With those words, Aang unfurled his glider and took off into the night.

"Phew!" murmured Aang, as the wind caressed his face. "I really do need to watch what I say"

What Aang did not realize is, while he had been rambling, Toph was struggling to hide the blush that adorned her cheeks and the small smile on her face. Appa let out a low growl.

"I know Appa, he's an idiot"

* * *

"Katara! Katara!"

The master waterbender looked up from the dried prunes she had been inspecting, and glanced around to whoever had called her name.

She smiled as she recognized the person.

"Kyria" she said, smiling.

The sixteen-year-old girl approached her friend with a radiating smile.

"You're finally walking amongst us!" cried Kyria, waving her hands around the busy marketplace.

Katara feigned a snobbish look.

"I decided to grace this place with my presence!" she flicked her wrist upwards for dramatic effect, causing her friend to giggle.

"Oh, it was _so_ gracious of you to make yourself present amongst us commoners, Master Katara!" replied Kyria, bowing low for melodramatic effect, as she spoke in a haughty voice of her own.

People stared at them as they passed by; under the impression that the girls had drunk too much moonshine whisky. When the soft laughter subsided, Kyria spoke.

"Seriously, I'm glad to see that you're no longer brooding about you know…"

She spoke the final words in a hushed tone. Katara immediately sobered, her relationship with Aang was something very few people knew, a fact that Katara wanted to keep hidden for a while longer. The waterbender sighed as she and Kyria began to walk down the endless rows of stalls that were made out of ice.

Katara looked around marketplace that was bubbling with life, people went about their business or stood in groups discussing various matters from the latest news in the Earth Kingdom to whether kuam nuts were edible. It was impossible to believe that this bustling city was once her tiny little village.

_Sokka's a genius _She thought to herself

"Aang will be coming in a couple of days" she said "Here to the South Pole"

Kyria's eyes lit up at Katara's words. "That's wonderful news!" she said, delightfully. "For how long?"

Katara's face fell at that question. "He didn't say" she said. "The letter was fairly short"

"Oh" said Kyria. "Well, it doesn't matter, the important thing is that he will be here soon!"

"Well, that's why I am here" said Katara, gesturing to the various stalls. "I'm planning on cooking him a huge feast when he gets here, the problem is, he's not very fond of Water Tribe food"

Kyria's eyes widened. "You're kidding? How can he not like Water Tribe food?"

Katara shrugged with a small smile on her face. "I guess his stomach is just not used to our food, I was planning on making him fruit pies because that's his favourite. But there isn't any fresh fruit…"

She broke off when she heard Kyria giggling.

"What?" she said, as she placed her hand on her hips in mock sternness.

"Listen to you! You sound like a doting housewife!" said Kyria.

Katara gasped in shock. "I do not!"

"Yeah, you do! You have motherly instincts," said Kyria.

Katara frowned at her. "I do not act motherly _or _like a doting housewife"

And she stomped towards the exit.

Kyria caught up with her. "It's okay, Katara, I mean, I can't see Aang complaining over you doting him"

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to make your boyfriend something to eat" said Katara, defensively.

"I never said there was" said Kyria. "In fact, my mom wants me to learn cooking so that when I get…" her voice trailed off, and Katara knew what she was thinking off.

Following the war, many people from the Northern Tribe followed Master Pakku's example and immigrated south. Kyria's family had been one of the many who came to the South Pole, seeking a new life and hoping to help rebuild their sister tribe. However, while these people brought with them invaluable expertise, they also brought with them, many of their traditions that Katara did not approve of. Kyria's father is a waterbender, and is a part of the taskforce involved in rebuilding the tribe. He and his foreboding wife had set Kyria up in an arranged marriage, the moment she had turned sixteen. Kanna had gone a long way in trying to give women more freedom, and she had been successful, because the men from the south were more open minded than their northern counterparts. But Kanna's authority could not breach family bonds, and Kyria was bond to honour her parents, by doing as they requested, a tradition that both tribes upheld.

Katara turned to study her friend, Kyria's skin was the colour of mocha though it was a shade lighter than her own, she had large blue eyes with long eye lashes, her nose was thin and narrow but proportionate to her face, like Katara she wore her waist-long hair in a braid.

"He hasn't been around to see you?" asked Katara, sounding a little incredulous. "It's been almost a week"

Kyria sighed, "I know" whispered Kyria. "But you guys are engaged! You're going to marry him by the next full moon!"

Kyria fingered her engagement necklace.

"No need to remind me" she murmured to herself, and Katara caught a hint of distaste in her tone.

"Do you even like him?" asked Katara, she knew she had no business poking into Kyria's feelings, even if she was a good friend, but she was concerned at the prospect that Kyria might be going into one of the most important days of her life extremely unhappy.

"He's okay" said Kyria, but Katara could tell she wasn't being completely honest "I mean he can be a bit of a jerk…but really"

Katara felt a wave of sympathy go out to her and gently placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Kyria if you don't want to marry him then you shouldn't…"

"Drop it, Katara" she said firmly and her tone expressed her annoyance. "Just drop it"

Katara sighed she had encountered this sort of attitude with Toph, her persistence in trying decipher the earthbender's feelings only ended up in several nasty confrontations with the blind girl, but Toph had eventually opened up to her and Katara was certain that Kyria would do the same and so decided to pursue a different tactic.

"If you ever need someone to talk to" she said, softly. "I'm here for you"

Kyria looked up at her and Katara noticed that her bright blue eyes were close to tears.

"Thanks Katara, you have no idea how much that means to me"

Her friend could only smile in reply. The duo made their way out of the market and onto a street. The pathways that wove in and around the city glistened in the weak sunlight. The buildings glistened as the roads did, a blue sliver hue of intricate designs splashed across the wall. Katara sighed with happiness as she looked around her. General Iroh had once told her about the phoenix, a mythical Fire Nation bird that burst into ashes before being reborn into a bird, more beautiful than it's previous incarnation. Looking around, Katara realized that her tribe had undergone the exact same thing. Nearly wiped out in the fires of war, the Southern Tribe had risen from it's ashes into a new city, prouder and more magnificent than the previous one.

"Your brother's a genius" murmured Kyria.

Katara would have made some sort of smart reply about Sokka and his newfound obsession, but looking around her, it simply stunned her to believe that her elder brother was responsible, so she simply said.

"Yeah, he is"

"And speak of the devil" murmured Kyria, looking behind Katara.

The waterbender turned around to see her brother walking down the street, with a hassled expression on his face and sheaves of parchment piled into his arms. A group of waterbenders and warriors formed a circle around him as he walked on shouting instructions at each of them

"Wow" said Kyria.

"Yeah" replied Katara "Clearly he's never heard of the expression 'take it easy' "

"And you, make sure the spot is vacated" they heard him saying "Remember, it should be twenty-two feet from the nearest building not twenty as we originally planned because we need space for the pathway"

The two girls watched him dish out orders to the small group, it wasn't too long and before he was standing on his own. Sokka turned around to look at Katara and grinned in a way that told her that she was in for a big tight hug.

"KATARA!" he yelled. pulling her into a tight hug and actually lifting her off the ground. "How's my little sis doing?" he asked.

"Eh, hi, big bro, mind putting me down?" said Katara, while Kyria giggled.

Remembering what her father had said, about Sokka complaining about not seeing her enough, Katara decided that now was a good time to talk him.

"New project?" asked Katara.

"Yep" said Sokka, and he sounded absolutely excited. "Our biggest one yet. You remember how the Mechanist was planning on putting up steam baths in the Air Temple?"

"Yeah?" said Katara.

"Well…that got me thinking, why can't _we _the guys of the South, get nice, comfy and warm whenever we want to? I mean…just because it's cold here, doesn't mean _we_ have to be cold all the time, right? So I thought, okay, why not pull a Mechanist and-"

"And let me guess" said Katara. "Build steam baths here in the South Pole?"

Sokka narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

"Must you ruin _everything_?"

"Well, you were pretty obvious" said Katara. "But if it makes you feel any better. I think it's great idea, Sokka"

The warrior merely huffed. Kyria seemed genuinely interested.

"Just how exactly do you plan on making steam baths here in the South Pole?"

Sokka smiled at her, he liked anyone who expressed any interest in his inventions. "Well, you see, _creating _the steam is the easy part it's making sure that the heat stays _inside _the rooms rather than going out…"

Katara exchanged amused glances with Kyria, as Sokka rambled on about his plans. It was remarkable how the siblings were so different, yet were so similar. Katara, the waterbender, always had a soft spot for superstition; she wore her emotions on her sleeve and was, for most of the time, ruled by them. She was more emotional and the more open-minded and was therefore willing to accept things as it were. Sokka, on the other hand, was sarcastic but rational, being a man of science his mind was one tracked but he was more likely to question the world around him. While Katara was usually forgiving, Sokka had a tendency to hold grudges and was highly unlikely to forget wrongdoings. But as much as they were different, Sokka and Katara were extremely similar. Both of them were and passionate about their interests and determined to suceed, the siblings were fiercely loyal to their loved ones and were determined to achieve their goals.

It was ironic, that their similarities made them bicker, and their differences drew them closer.

"And that, my dear friend, is how the steambaths will be created" said Sokka, he sighed and stretched his limbs. "I don't know about you guys, but I am certainly looking forward to a nice warm place to unwind after a hard day's work"

Katara rolled his eyes. "Right" she said, smirking. "Because I am sure it must be so difficult ordering people around and telling them what to do"

Kyria giggled. Sokka frowned at her.

"Of course it is!" he snapped. "Of course, you won't know anything about it, because you're too busy swooning over Aang"

Katara gasped in anger. "I do not _swoon"_ she said.

"Sure you do, everyone in the tribe knows it"

"Sokka!"

"What? Everyone's thinking it, I am just saying it"

"Sokka does have a point," said Kyria. "Everyone knows that you're the Avatar's girl, no one talks about it because you don't make it so obvious"

Katara glared at Kyria, incensed that she would team with Sokka against was about to open her mouth to say something when a tall man with braided hair and deep-set eyes approached them.

"Master Sokka" he said, bowing to the chief's son. "Lady Katara, it's good to see you out and about again"

"It's great to be around, Turburk" said Katara, giving a slight bow.

"Did Dad call for us?" asked Sokka.

Turburk shook his head. "I'm afraid not" he said, he turned towards Kyria. "Master Tok has been looking for you, Kyria, he's at the Tribal Centre and would like to meet you there"

Kyria gulped nervously. "Did he say what it was about?"

"A personal matter" said Turburk, gravely.

Katara knew what that meant, _personal matter _could only mean that Master Tok wanted to talk to Kyria about her arranged marriage, the nervous look on Kyria's face told Katara that she too had caught the meaning behind the euphemism.

"What sort of personal matter?" asked Sokka. "Is is about her arranged marriage?"

Katara reached over and slapped him on the back of the head.

"It's none of your business, Sokka" she snapped.

"What? Can't a guy ask a question without getting slapped on THE HEAD?" he said, yelling the last two words.

None of them noticed that Kyria had fallen in step with Turburk as they made their way towards the Tribal Centre.

"Kyria, wait" called Katara.

She ran up to her friend and took hold of her hand, a silent of gesture of support.

"I'm coming with you" she said.

"Uhh, Master Tok wanted to speak to his daughter alone" said Turburk.

"Fine" said Katara, shrugging. "But that doesn't stop from coming, does it?"

"I guess not" said Turburk.

Kyria gave Katara a small smile before the two friends fell in step with each other.

* * *

_A/N: Please leave a review on the way out. Thanks for your time! _


	5. Sorting Through the Chaos

_A/N: I want to thank Adridere, Gongsun Du and doctor anthony for their awesome reviews!! Keep it coming guys!_

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**_Chapter 4 - Sorting Through the Chaos_**

One of the most obvious symptoms of ending the Hundred Year War was the remarkable change the War Room had undergone. The great room had witnessed the previous Firelord plot the world's destruction with his generals and admirals, it had witnessed disturbing events that triggered one of the many sins of the Royal Family, the room bore tragic testimony to just how power hungry the Fire Nation and it's leader could be. But with the ascension of a new Firelord, the name and purpose of the room had changed. It was no longer known as the 'War Room' but was renamed 'The Meeting Chambers' No longer was the room subject to torturous speeches of genocide and war. The room was no longer forced to witness outrageous acts of violence or atrocious deeds being planned out. Instead, the Meeting Chambers now played host to gatherings of ministers, who no longer considered destruction a priority, but whose energies were now channelled into the reconstruction of their nation. These ministers were not foolish; they had met the Fire Prince and his Uncle and were fully aware of their capabilities, and knew of the impeccable strength of the royal family. The members of the Dragon High Council were not necessarily the country's elite, but were the sort of people, Iroh knew he could trust.

The Firelord glanced around the circular table that he shared with his ministers.

To his left sat the Defence Minister, Jeong Jeong, a no nonsense man who did not tolerate dissent or leniency, a tough man for a tough job. To Iroh's right, sat Minister Yang Chin, a politician who, as his brief tenure as the Governor of OmaShu showed, was not a man with an aptitude for tyranny, he was a kind man who was devoted to his family. Iroh remembered meeting his two children, a delightful young boy named Tom Tom and a daughter who could have passed for a stone statue. Iroh glanced at the other ministers, many of them skimmed over their scrolls while others sipped their tea.

Not all of Iroh's choices were made based on loyalty; some of the appointments were made due to political convenience, such as Admiral Chan who was, at the moment, smugly sipping his tea. Iroh took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for what was coming. The Firelord cleared his throat and silence fell over the table. Iroh inclined his head towards a tall, lanky minister, who bore an odd resemblance to Avatar Roku.

"Minister Yen, you have the floor"

The Minister of the Interior got to his feet, cleared his throat and spoke.

"Your Majesty and esteemed fellow members of the Dragon High Council" he said. "The latest project assigned to me, The Harmonious Acknowledgement of Our Culture Through Melodious Composition and Lyric, also known as _Music Night Festival _has been a great success. Preparations are in line with schedule and we will be ready to open to the public by next week as was planned"

Iroh nodded in approval, Music Night Festival had been his creation, an attempt by the Firelord to distract the people from their troubles through the discovery of music and dance. It was also an attempt to break the mind moulding of their past formal education. During his brief tenure as Firelord, Zuko had lifted many of the restrictions placed on formal education; Iroh had taken it a step further and introduced reform to change the entire education system.

"There is unfortunately one problem that I was unable to fix" said the Minister. "Owing to the deteriorating economic situation, many of the musicians have demanded a rise in pay"

The Minister paused to let his words take effect, nobody spoke but waited patiently for him to continue.

"The prices of certain materials have shot through the roof between today and the day when the original budget was set up a month. The cost of the festival cannot be covered with the current budget. Therefore I request an expansion in the budget for the festival"

"But we have already channelled so much money into the festival" spoke up one of the ministers. "We cannot afford to spare any more without compromising any projects of certain priority"

Minister Yen smirked at the man who spoke.

"Are you suggesting that The Harmonious Acknowledgement of Our Culture Through Musical Composition and Lyric, a brainchild of the Firelord…isn't of importance?"

"That is not what I meant" said the minister. "I am merely pointing out that we may have to cut back from the fiscal resources allocated for the renovation of our factories, the rebuilding of towns and cities, construction of infrastructure and the reform and expansion of formal education, projects that will do wonders for the country"

"Enough" snapped Iroh, as Minister Yen opened his mouth to speak. "No progress will be brought to the table if we fall into these petty squabbles, keep in mind, men of the Dragon Council, that the fate of the entire Nation lies in our hands"

An awkward silence followed Iroh's brief words. Iroh turned to the minister who spoke.

"Minister Yang, your concern for the projects of 'Reconstruction' is most valid, but Music Night is just as important, music will give the people a good reason to distract themselves from the current hardship they're currently in"

The minister looked slightly ashamed, like a small child who was being chided for his mischief. Iroh turned to Minister Yen.

"Have you composed a list of the prices that have 'shot through the roof?"

Jeong Jeong sniggered at the way Iroh had quoted the minister. Yen did not seem insulted, instead he merely pulled out a scroll and handed it to a nearby squire, who took the scroll and handed it to Iroh. The Firelord opened the scroll and read the list, he narrowed his eyes at some of the items. Iroh put the scroll, making a note to hand it to the man to his right as soon as this meeting was over.

"Minister Yen, please inform the musicians that if they do not accept the going wages, then they can pack up their instruments and leave"

"What if they do exactly that?" said the Minister

"I doubt it" said Iroh. "What we offer them for a couple of nights is more than what they would get working in a seedy tavern for three months, as for the increase in the budget" Iroh sighed. "I am afraid that the budget cannot be increased any further than it already has been. Our coffers are, unfortunately, not infinitely deep"

The minister's face contorted into a brief look of shock, before he began speaking.

"Forgive me, your Majesty" he said. "But if you want anything other than a spectacular show than we must make some changes to the budget. You yourself stated the importance of the event"

Iroh narrowed his eyes at the minister.

"There is no need to remind me of my own words, Minsiter Yen" he said, coldly. "I am well aware of what I said, but, why would you need-"

He glanced at the list that was given to him.

"More paint and pay rise for artists? I was under the impression that we were celebrating music, Minister, not art"

Some of the ministers sniggered at the words, converting them into barely disguised coughs.

"Visual appeal, my lord" said Yen, coldly. "Decorations are meant to attract people, and not to mention to paint leaflets"

Iroh peered at the list.

"I see that you need food" he said, scanning the statistics that stated an increase in the price of the corn and spice, both needed for fire flakes. "Perhaps we can make an exception in the case of the catering, but keep in mind, Minister, it will not be the food that bring people to the festival, it is the music. Make sure that people can hear it in all parts of the town square"

Minister nodded and sat down, his face contorted into an ugly expression. Iroh glanced down at the list before rolling it up and pocketing it. He was definitely going to have it looked at.

Iroh's eyes shifted to the agenda before him and couldn't help but smile, they were finally getting to a topic that he was eager to discuss.

"Minister Jeong Jeong" said Iroh, turning to his old friend. "You have the floor"

Jeong Jeong stood up. Everyone had been shocked when Zuko had appointed Jeong Jeong, the infamous deserter as the Minister of Defence. Zuko had cleansed the man of his brand as a traitor and entrusted him with the safety of the country. Iroh alone could see the benefits of appointing such a man to this position. Jeong Jeong was a general in the army, much like himself, and therefore, knew the ways of the military like the back of his hand, he was also a man who loved peace and would do anything to protect. Which was why he was the perfect man to deal with the threat at hand.

Jeong Jeong glanced around, fixing a fierce glare on everyone one of his ministers before speaking.

"According to reports" he said. "The cities of Sho Jin and Hung have been safely consolidated by our troops, our governors have been providing food, water and shelter for the people, and reconstruction of these cities have begun, even though curfew is still in place, we can expect the situation to return to normal within two months"

Iroh nodded, as he knew this was true. Zuko himself had stated that he was satisfied with the way things had progressed after the disastrous riots in the two cities.

"On matters relating to our borders" continued Jeong Jeong, pointing to a large map at the centre of the circular table. "Commander Jee has sent a report stating that the Southern Fleet has captured half a dozen pirate vessels, the pirates are being shipped to the prison where we will be able to interrogate them"

"Has Commander Jee's report stated anything else?" said Iroh.

"They have confiscated loot, and other items such as weapons and treasures" said Jeong Jeong. "He has given me a list, my lord"

"And how have the foreign fleets been responding to our new Programme?" said Iroh.

In an attempt to put down the increasing number of pirate attacks on merchant vessels, since the end of the War. Iroh had proposed plans to patrol the seas with cooperation from the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. Since pirates had no allegiances and attacked merchant vessels of all kind, the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes recognised the benefits of cooperating with a technologically superior Fire Nation Navy against a ferocious group of people who were almost impossible to track down.

"According to his report, the Southern Water Tribe fleet was instrumental in their victory," said Jeong Jeong. "According to Jee, what they lack in technology, they make up for with cunning"

Iroh nodded, it seemed like the programme was going well.

"But there is trouble on the mainland, my lord" said Jeong Jeong. "The attacks on the north have been increasing in frequency" he said, his gruff voice a huge contrast to the silky smooth tone of Minister Yen.

Jeong Jeong pointed to the map of the Fire Nation before him.

"Attacks have taken place here and here" he said pointing. "Mind you, these are not like the riots that have taken place before, we are talking about men, benders and non benders alike, attacking our garrisons and burning down defenceless villages"

"Hasn't anyone been able to trace them?" asked Iroh.

Jeong Jeong shook his head.

"These men carry out guerrilla style attacks" he said, "Unfortunately, the terrain is particularly well-suited for such warfare"

"What is your recommendation?" said Iroh.

"There have only been two isolated incidents, this makes it only seven attacks in total" said Jeong Jeong. "But I fear there could be more in time. We move two regiments to guard these two cities"

He said, moving two blocks on the map. "And then we implement a series of regulations on the outlying settlements. I have already made a list of the regulations and have had them copied"

As he spoke, two men came forward distributing lists. Iroh briefly scanned the list and found many of the points to be as long as entire paragraphs.

"Which regiments do you plan on sending?" said Yen. "The East regiment of the Phoenix Division under Colonel Hu and the twenty-third regiment of the Hun Division, under Colonel Jao" said Jeong Jeong."Why do you ask?"

"Isn't the Fire Prince and the Dragon Regiment in a much better position to move north?" said the Minister.

Iroh frowned at the words. Jeong Jeong too was suspicious, but he decided to answer the question.

"Our latest reports tell us that Prince Zuko is currently at North Chung-Ling" he said pointing. "He is far too east to move to the designated areas in time"

"Perhaps" said the Minister. "But I would have thought that the most elite regiment in the country would be perfect to face this growing threat, especially given the Prince's…. bravado I would have thought that he would want to be in the thick of it"

Iroh frowned, not liking the message behind the minister's words, since when did Zuko become so bravado? Jeong Jeong seemed to be thinking along those similar lines for when he spoke, it was with a highly suspicious tone in his voice.

"Why are you so eager to send the Prince up north?" said Jeong Jeong.

The Minister smiled. "We understand why you would not be so eager to send the Dragon Regiment, we understand your… concerns, Minister Jeon Jeong"

"Interests?" hissed Jeong Jeong.

_Uh Oh _thought Iroh. _This is going badly._

"We understand that your nephew is the second in command of that regiment" said the Minister. "It would only be natural that you would want to protect your family while sacrificing others-"

He stopped when Jeong Jeong angrily slammed his fists onto the table. But when he spoke it was in a voice of determined calm.

"Do not bring my family into this, Minister" he said. "My nephew is more than capable of looking after himself"

"Of course, he can" said the Minister. "But then, we certainly can't validate that can we? Especially after he decided to follow in his uncle's footsteps"

Jeong Jeong's eyes flared angrily.

"Enough of this" said Iroh, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "This meeting is adjourned, Minister Jeong Jeong, we will discuss your proposed plans later and make necessary changes"

Iroh got to his feet, carefully scanning the ministers as he rose. Jeong Jeong and Yen were glaring daggers at each other, but the other ministers wore passive looks on their faces. Iroh left the Meeting Chambers, his mind buzzing with what he had just seen.

_Looks like my government is falling apart after all _he thought to himself.

Iroh pulled out the scroll he had put into the depths of his robes, with a small frown on his face. The list was highly suspicious; he leant over to whisper to one of his aides.

"Have Minister Yang Chin sent to my office. I have some important matters to discuss with him"

* * *

The city of North Chung-Ling had descended into chaos, nobody had seen a riot on such a large scale since the start of the Hundred Year War. If somebody were to look down on the city, they would be able to see various groups of men and women running through the streets destroying buildings, looting homes and beating anyone who came in their way. Buildings crumbled to pieces as the fire continued to blaze across the city, spreading from building to building. To make matters worse, Zuko and his men seemed to be the only group trying to put an end to this anarchy. A particularly large group of people were descending on the Governor's house, separated from the gates by a wall of fire conjured by Zuko's men.

Zuko was standing behind the barrier, the fire reflected in his golden eyes, as he tried to make sense of what was going on. Despite the roar of the flames, he could still hear the outraged cries and shouts of the people.

"My prince" said a voice.

Zuko turned around to find Lee standing next to him.

"Did you find the governor?" he said.

Xiu Lee, nodded. "He's hiding up in his bedroom…and so is his mistress"

Zuko sighed. "Where's the garrison? Why haven't they come here?"

"The garrison is trapped in the garrison tower" said Lee. "The governor says it's because they're cowards, but I doubt that's the case"

Zuko nodded, understanding what he was getting at, for all he knew, the garrison could be among the rabble.

Zuko sighed, racking his brain for a solution.

"What should I do?" he asked, no one in particular. "I'm starting to wish uncle was here"

"So do I, I was hoping to get that recipe of ginseng tea from him"

Zuko glared at him.

"What?"

"We're in the middle of a riot, and you're mind is on _tea_?" snapped Zuko.

Lee shrugged. "Ginseng tea is good for the mind"

"Oh right! Because I can afford to have a tea party while they're hundreds people outside just waiting to rip our heads off!"

Lee stuttered. "I was just joking-"

But Zuko had suddenly heard something, and suddenly, Lee's lame joke was forgotten.

"Shut up!" snapped Zuko.

He strained his ears to capture that sound it was rather difficult given, the fact that the fifteen feet high barrier of fire roared loudly in ears, straining even harder, Zuko could capture a small sound, which sounded a lot like.

"Chanting" he whispered.

"What?"

Zuko turned to Lee. "Turn down the fire!"

Lee looked at him surprised, before he turned to two firebenders.

"You two. Help me turn down the barrier"

The three assumed a stance and together, they were able to tone down the intensity of the fire. As the fire slowly died down, Zuko could see the angry crowd beyond, and they were chanting.

_"We want food! We want our money! We want food!" _

"Can you hear that?" said Zuko.

Lee nodded doubtfully. "I hear people chanting, but why?"

"They want food" said Zuko. "What could that possibly mean?" speaking the last few lines with dripping sarcasm.

Lee turned to the small group of guards who were standing by the gate with fearful looks on their faces.

"Bring the mansion guards over here!" he roared.

Zuko's men hastened to obey, the shoved the eight, reluctant men towards Zuko. The prince turned around to face them and couldn't help but smirk at the fearful looks on their faces.

"Why are these people chanting for more food?" said Zuko. "What's been happening here?"

The guards looked rather reluctant to speak, from the apprehensive looks they gave each other, Zuko could tell that they had been sworn to silence.

Lee stepped forward.

"Your prince just asked you a question!" he snapped. "And I suggest that you answer before we decide to appease the crowd with your miserable corpses!"

The guards gulped. One of them finally spoke up.

"There have been food shortages for awhile now, your majesty" said one of the guards, a tall lanky man, with a small moustache. "The prices have been really high"

"Food shortages?" hissed Zuko.

The guard turned to his friends for help, despite being a full foot taller than Zuko, the guard was clearly intimidated.

"Umm…" continued the guard. "There have been shortages on practically everything, from possum chicken to milk"

Zuko frowned. _I don't recall anything about food shortages in the report _he thought to himself.

"How long have the shortages been going on?" said Zuko.

The guard shrugged. "Maybe a couple of months…your majesty"

Zuko raised an eyebrow.

"A couple of months" he repeated.

The guard nodded.

"Then why are the people rioting now?" said Zuko.

"What has the Governor done to anger them?"

"Uhh…" said the guard.

"Speak! Man!" roared Zuko, and the fires surrounding them augmented in his anger. "Now is not the time to be afraid!"

The tall guard opened his mouth to say something. However, just as he was about to speak, another guard spoke up.

"The Governor was planning a banquet, your Majesty" he said. "I was on duty on the day I saw him bring carts of food into the house…rice, meat, veggies, sweets, you name it"

Zuko sighed, a clear case of corruption if he ever knew one.

"When was this?"

"A few days ago"

Zuko sighed, behind him he could hear the people growing increasingly agitated, they clearly wanted revenge. Zuko knew that it was only a matter of time before they started braving the fire, and then all hell would ensue.

"That was then…. this is now" said Zuko. "What has the Governor done that incited the riot today?"

The guards who had spoken glanced at each other apprehensively, before the shorter of them spoke.

"The Governor introduced an income tax, your majesty" he said.

Zuko's eyes widened, in anger.

"He introduced a new tax?" he said. "Whatever for?"

"He won't give a reason, your majesty"

But Zuko knew the reason.

Seething with anger, he glanced at the distant chimneys of one of the many factories in the city.

_My reforms _he thought to himself. _He's taxing the people and using my reforms to justify it, _

Suddenly it all made sense, the delayed report, why the Governor was so reluctant to meet them, the ensuing riot. It was all a horrifying sequence of events that highlighted one fact: The Governor was using state funds for his own benefit.

"Lee" he said.

"My prince?" came the response.

"Have the Governor brought here, order the men to take the house and strip it of every valuable item they can find, from gold statues to rice pieces, leave _nothing_ untouched"

Lee nodded. "What will you be doing?"

Zuko turned away from the chimney, and towards the crowd, they were shouting obscenities at the governor and at him. They were obviously angry with Zuko for protecting the governor, but he had no intention of doing such a thing.

"I'm going to talk to the people," he said. "Alone"

Lee gasped, the crowd was _furious _by now, and they would probably tear him to shreds if he were alone. Lee opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. He knew better than to question his prince's orders. Lee nodded to Zuko before turning to face his men.

"Turn around men! We're taking down the Governor's house!" he roared.

As fifty men roared and started towards the massive house before them, Lee turned to face his friend.

Out of all the things the prince had done in his eighteen years, this was probably the craziest. Zuko was placing himself at the mercy of very agitated and hungry crowd who had put up with a corrupt Governor for far too along. In spite of this, the prince had never looked more majestic, as he walked through the fire.

Upon seeing the prince, the people of North-Chung Ling roared in anger, but Zuko did not seem fazed. The prince stared out at the vast ocean of faces, all identical with looks of undisguised anger. Zuko took a deep breath.

_This is it _he thought to himself. _Two years of travelling the country has lead to this moment. _

"People of North Chung-Ling!" he called. "Hear me!"

The people ignored his cries, it seemed as if they were beyond reasoning. Behind him, Zuko could feel the presence of Lee and his men, they were obviously worried that their prince will be attacked.

"Listen to me!" roared Zuko, trying to appeal to their better nature.

Suddenly, something long and made of wood was flying at his face. Zuko's saw the deadly object coming at his face and swiped at it furiously. The wave of fire blasted the object to ash and roared above the crowd. People gasped as the fire passed over their heads. Zuko decided to take advantage of their awe, and he took a deep breath.

"LISTEN" he roared, fire spewing out of his mouth and flying at least five feet above his head.

The crowd fell silent, but Zuko that their anger was beneath the surface, bubbling hot and ready to erupt at any moment.

"Hear me!" called Zuko. "Not because I'm your prince but because I am no different than you"

From amidst the crowd, he could hear someone speak distinctly.

"That's a fat load of talk coming from the Crown Prince!" roared a man.

"He was probably in the Imperial City feeding on fatted calves and drinking from silver cups!" roared another man.

The prince merely smirked at this.

"Is that what you'll think of me?" he roared. "Someone who sits amidst plush cushions and drinks fire whiskey while servant girls fan me?"

The people roared in assent.

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you" said Zuko. "Because I'm not the sort of person you thought I was"

The roars dimmed at these commanding words.

"All my life I've had to struggle for what I earned!" roared Zuko. "For the past two years, I have lived in a tent with nothing but a canvas for protection from the rain and the ground as my bed, I have eaten gruel from the same pot as have my men, I have traversed from city to city trying to uplift the struggle that has befallen us all"

Silence fell on the crowd as if a thicket blanket had fallen on them.

"The past two years have been the hardest in our lives" continued Zuko. "And just as you all work your hardest to provide for your families, I work my hardest to ensure that all families are provided for. Which is why I can understand your anger"

Murmurs began to rise from the crowd; clearly they were shocked by what Zuko had said. The prince pointed at the impressive mansion behind him.

"I gave the Governor money and resources to rebuild this city so that it may thrive in the new world as it has in the old. But he has squandered precious Fire Nation resources, your hard earned money and in the process, he has lost his honour and my trust, and he will be punished for what he has done. You have every right to be angry, but look around you" he said, pointing to the destroyed buildings. "What has become of your home? It has become nothing but rubble and ashes. Is this what you wanted? Does this make you proud? Your homes are nothing but ashes, and for what? Is the home of thousands worth the blood of one man?"

The crowd gradually went from hostile to humble, Zuko could see many people look at each other with faces of shame, as if they too had just realized what they had done.

"I assure you" said Zuko. "The governor will be soundly punished for what he has done, but right now, we must rebuild our city"

He paused to let his words sink in.

"Will you help us?"

An awkward paused followed these words, the crowd looked at each other, as if uncertain as to what do. Then suddenly, a woman in the front got to her knees and bowed before Zuko. For a moment, those around her stared at her, some with looks of surprise, others with anger. Then one by one, like a wave passing through the crowd, they too got down on their knees and bowed before Prince Zuko.

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_A/N: Please leave a review on the way out. _


	6. Wishful Thinking and Harmful Banter

_A/N: I would like to thank Gongsun Du, maying38 and doctor anthony thank them for their awesome reviews. Keep them flowing you guys!!!!_

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_**Chapter 5 - Wishful Thinking and Harmful Banter**_

The village of Kyoshi Island had significantly changed since Aang had last seen it. There were several rows of quaint little houses centred around Oyaji's community building which was now larger and more massive than it had ever been before. A short distance away from the village was a large wooden podium with a massive canvas overhead so as to protect it from the rain. Surrounding the podium were several small stalls, many of which were still in the process of being built. A large market that sold everything from mangoes to rare objects now replaced the small cluster of stalls where Katara once bought food.

A huge crowd greeted gathered to meet Aang as Appa landed near the gleaming statue of Avatar Kyoshi. Aang grinned as several happy faces waved at him, desperate for his attention. He could hear the familiar cry of the girls as they cried,

"Aangy, Aangy, over here Aangy!"

"I gotta say, Toph" said Aang, getting to his feet and stretching. "It's nice to have a fan base, especially when it's an entire island too!"

"Yeah" said Toph, from behind. "I can just feel the love from all the way up here, _Aangy_"

Aang scowled at her before turning around to wave at the crowd. His actions resulted in a surge in frenzy from the crowd, and a far more urgent.

_"Aangy, Aangy, Over here Aangy!" _

Toph raised an eyebrow. "Popular much?" she said.

But Aang seemed to have forgotten that he had a companion in the saddle. His problem had become far more urgent.

"Guys! Can you give Appa room, please? Guys!"

But no one seemed to have noticed, they all began to move towards the bison, determined to get a closer look at Aang. Appa began to paw the ground nervously and shaking his shaggy head. A clear sign that he was becoming agitated.

"Alright everyone! Break it up!" called a voice.

Several women in green dresses and Kyoshi make-up pushed their way through the crowd, forming a small circle around the bison. Appa growled gratefully as the crowd backed away.

"Suki!" cried Aang, with a sigh of relief; he leapt off the saddle to meet his friend.

He ran towards the nearest person, a short girl with long, dark hair.

"Suki, how's it-"

He stopped talking when he saw the look of confusion on the girl's face.

"Suki?"

"I'm not Suki," she said hastily. "Suki is over there" she said, pointing.

Aang turned around and recognised Suki's distinguishable chestnut, brown hair. Toph laughed as Aang blushed, rubbing the back of his head, clearly embarrassed for confusing his friends. Suki, however, did not seem to be offended, she smiled at the avatar, as she spoke.

"Hey, Aang" she said. "Why don't you come inside, you must be exhausted"

"Well, Appa is" said Aang, gently patting the bison. "But okay"

Toph landed face first on the ground with a loud thud. She groaned in pain, as two other warriors ran forward to help her. Aang laughed, while Suki looked on concerned.

"Is she alright?" she asked.

"She's fine" said Aang. "She does it all the time…Ow!"

A small rock had hit Aang on the forehead.

"Watch it, _Aangy_" said Toph. "We're on my turf now, and you better watch what you say"

"Or what?" said Aang, in a challenging tone.

"Or this!" said Toph, and she stomped hard on the ground.

The ground beneath Aang's feet shot upwards to form a rather sharp pillar, but Aang was too quick. He was already in the air floating above everyone's heads, with a smug smile on his face.

"You forget, Toph" he said, the earthbender inclined her head upwards to where he was, an agitated frown on her face. "I'm an earthbender as well, earth is _my _turf too"

"Phh" said Toph, waving a hand in dismissal. "You're just a sissy missy who can only toss up a few boulders, I'm the Grand Master of earthbending! The _Emperador_ of the mountains _and _the only metalbender in the world"

Aang growled in agitation. "I can do a lot more than toss up boulders!" he said, angrily.

"But you still can't bend metal!"

"Uh… you guys" said Suki, uncertainly. "Maybe you should do this some other time, you are causing a bit of a scene"

It was true, a crowd was now gathering to view the spectacle that Aang and Toph were causing, though truth be told, Suki was more concerned that the two benders might inadvertently destroy the village in their destructive banter.

"Yeah, your right, Suki" said Aang, always eager to get out of a fight. "I'm hungry, got any food on you?"

Suki giggled at the boyish expression of hunger on Aang's face. "You guys can get settled in your rooms, and I'll have some fish and rice sent up" she said. "We don't have a stable for Appa, but there's a cluster of trees nearby that he may like"

Appa growled in approval. Aang landed on the ground and the Kyoshi warriors circled them as an escort, and together the small group made their way towards the community building. Aang looked around, an expression of glee on his face.

"I gotta admit, Suki" he said. "This village has gotten huge since I last came here. What exactly is happening?"

"A lot of people have been moving in recently" said Suki, and there was a hint of pride in her voice. "Some from the Water Tribes, few from the Fire Nation but mostly from the Earth Kingdom, apparently, I put Kyoshi island on the map when I helped Sokka and Toph destroy that air fleet, while you were fighting the Firelord"

"Yeah, sweet times" said Toph, from behind them.

"But all these expansions" she said, gesturing towards the podium and the expansion of the community building. "Are for the upcoming Peace Summit a few from weeks from now"

Aang's face noticeably fell at the mention of politics. "Oh" he said. "That's coming up pretty soon, isn't?"

"A month is still quite a long way" said Suki. "Hopefully, we'll have everything ready when the time arrives"

"New people, new buildings .You must have had your hands full, dealing with all this stuff" said Toph.

"Not really" said Suki. "Oyaji has been taking on a lot of the work. Ty Lee has been a great instrument, her father is a noblemen back in the Fire Nation so she has a lot of experience dealing with strangers"

"Speaking of the Circus Freak, where is she?"

Suki winced slightly at the nickname but gave no other form of protest.

"I don't know, she was suppose to be here some time back, ugh" she sighed. She then spoke in a soft voice.

_"She must be with that guy from the Water Tribes" _

When she spoke again, it was in a much calmer voice. "How long do you plan on staying, Aang?"

"Not too long, we're planning on leaving tomorrow for the South Pole"

"The South Pole!" said Suki. "Isn't that…. far?"

"Yeah, we're planning on visiting Katara and Sokka" said Aang. "Hey, why don't you come with us! I'm sure he'll be glad to see you again"

The layers of makeup hid Suki's blush, but Toph did not miss Suki's reaction to Sokka's name and pounced on it.

"Oh, Sokka will be more than just glad" she said, smirking. "I'm sure they'll have their own celebrations on the igloo floor"

The other warriors giggled, Suki silenced them with a glare.

"I'd love to go see Sokka and Katara" she said, taking care to mention the latter person's name "But we're just swamped with work and there's no way I can get away to visit the South Pole. Anyway, I think it would be better if you stayed here for a few days, Aang. Appa would be flying for at least three days straight, so it's best if you let him rest. You and Toph can help us out"

Aang paused to contemplate this.

"Alright, sounds great" he said. "What do you think, Toph?"

Toph shrugged. "Anything to delay our trip to the wonderful land of ice and snow"

"Great" said Suki. "So it's settled"

The crowd began to thin out as the small group approached the community building.

"I gotta admit" said Toph. "I'm looking forward to the taste of some real food, you tend to forget what that tastes like, when you eat off Aang's cooking for a week"

"My cooking is not bad!" snapped Aang, turning around to face her. "I learnt loads from Katara"

"Either Sweetness is a really bad teacher or you're a really dumb student"

She paused, as if contemplating something. "Yeah, you must be a bad student"

Aang growled angrily, Toph was probably the only person in the world who could push his buttons like this. At that moment, Suki chose to speak up.

"I'm sure Aang's cooking isn't that bad" she said. "Katara is after all a good cook, and a great teacher"

"Please" said Toph. "Sometimes, I got the feeling that he was giving me Appa's food"

Appa growled, as if he was offended.

"Don't be silly, Toph" said Aang. "I'd never confuse you with Appa"

Toph smirked. "Oh yeah, why's that?"

"Appa is a lot cleaner than you"

Toph's smile disappeared.

"Hmph" was all she could say, as Appa let out a small chuckle.

***

The Tribal Centre was the place where Chief Hakoda and his men conveyed to discuss and make decisions that affected the tribe as a whole. Katara leaned against the wall, apprehensively waiting. Kyria was on the other side of a thick door, talking with her father, the waterbender could not hear anything, and that vexed her. Katara sighed and tried to distract herself by looking around. The walls were bright blue splashed with intricate blue and sliver designs of dolphins, stars and all sorts of ocean creatures.

The Tribal Centre had been Sokka's idea, he had seen the place where Chief Arnook had gathered the tribe to talk to his men and women and Sokka had wanted something similar. The project started over a year ago, and was completed within three weeks, with the help of over twenty-five waterbenders and thirty sculptors. Katara had been part of the taskforce that constructed the building, making walls out of snow, conjuring sculptures out of ice and carving designs into the ice. The building wasn't just a reminder of her tribe's continued growth and prosperity; it was also a strong reminder of the healing powers of waterbending and how it could be used to nurture life. Katara couldn't help but smirk, as she recalled the days of construction, she had literally done half the work her team had done, earning jealous glares from her fellow benders, but everyone knew better than to challenge the Avatar's sifu turned girlfriend.

Katara gritted her teeth at the thought. It was not a title she was entirely comfortable with. If there was one thing that Katara didn't like, it was being defined by the people she knew, she was much more than the 'Chief's daughter' or the 'Avatar's girlfriend' It was one of the reasons why her relationship with Zuko didn't work, if word had gotten out that she and Zuko were a couple then she would forever be known as the 'Prince's girlfriend' and that was not what she wanted.

"Zuko…"

The name escaped her lips and she leaned her head against the wall. She could still remember every little detail of the six months they had spent together. How he would hold her as they walked along the beach, the way his breath tingled her when he whispered into her ear, how his amber eyes gleamed in the moonlight as he looked at her, the course feeling of his scar beneath her figures. The scar had never bothered her, she thought, even during the days when they were enemies; the scar had never disturbed her in anyway. In fact, it was his scar that she found to be the most attractive feature about him, it marred the image of perfect, spoiled prince, and gave him a character that in the end, made him a better, a stronger man. It also gave him a roguish, sexy look….

_Urgh, _she thought to herself, disgruntled_. Katara stop it _. _It's over, it was over the day Zuko decided to end our relationship, there's no need to think about it. _

Just then, the door flew open and Katara saw Kyria running out, she did not stop when she called out her name, and Katara heard a distinct sob. She glanced at the room Kyria had coming running out of. Katara was able to see Master Tok, a fairly short man around her height, sitting next to him was a young man who Katara knew was Kyria's fiancé. Without saying a word to them, she ran after her friend, who she was certain by now, had left the building.

Katara knew that Kyria would go to the mound, and she was not disappointed. The mound was a small hill that overlooked the place where the penguins gathered and nested. Katara could remember the early days of their friendship, when Kyria had first arrived at the South Pole. She had been a timid, lonely girl, in danger of being overrun and ignored in a tribe that struggled to recover. Katara had taken her under her wing, and they soon became fast friends. The mound was where they spent most of the time, either penguin sledding through the ice tunnels or just sitting and talking to each other. The mound was a retreat for both of them, whenever they needed to be alone.

Katara trudged up the hill, bending the snow from her feet, in order to make the climb easier. At the top of the hill, she could see Kyria, sitting on a rock. Katara could not see her face but she could tell that she was crying because of her shuddering shoulders. "Kyria?" The girl paused to acknowledge her partner's presence before crying again.

"Kyria, what's wrong?" said Katara. "What happened in there?"

Kyria took a deep breath and composed herself, her blue eyes were swimming with tears but she was no longer sobbing.

"There's been a change in plan" she said, speaking in a soft whisper.

"What sort of change?" said Katara, though she felt a knot twist in her stomach. If Kyria was crying it couldn't be good.

"Joel is going to the South Seas" she said. "He's joining a fleet that's being commandeered by Master Pakku"

"How does this effect your plans?" asked Katara. "They don't know how long he'll be gone" said Kyria. "So my father decided to…oh Katara, they're bringing the wedding forward!"

Katara was appalled.

"How could they do that?" she gasped.

"My father says it's for my own good, that I'll be marrying a brave warrior who's out fighting," said Kyria.

"But…oh spirits! I don't want to get married! Not so soon"

"You shouldn't have to" said Katara, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Your in the Southern Tribe, Kyria, we don't have those sort of ridiculous customs here"

Kyria nodded. "But I have to honour my parents, that's a custom they uphold here, right?"

Katara was clearly agitated at the thought of seeing her friend so unhappy.

"Kyria your parents have to honour _you_" she said. "You're their child not some sort of good to be used so that they can make ties with other families. You have to tell them you don't want to do this-"

"What do you think I've been doing in that room, Katara?" said Kyria, and there was hint of anger in her voice. "My father won't listen, he's just too stubborn"

Katara sat down next to Kyria, and placed a hand over her shoulder.

"There's so much I wanted to do, Katara" she said. "I wanted to travel, see the world, just like you did"

"I know" said Katara.

"I don't want to get married" said Kyria. "There's so much to life, I know there is and I want to experience it"

Katara nodded, they had been through this before, on this very same spot.

"Don't tell anyone this" said Kyria. "But I've always wanted to see the Fire Nation"

Katara looked up at her in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah" said Kyria, with a small smile. "I know it's wrong to say that, and I never told anyone while the war was going on, but I've always been fascinated by how different they are from us, you know, firebenders, direct opposite to us waterbenders, taste in red clothes, you get what I am saying, right?"

Katara recalled the time when she had been under cover in the Fire Nation; she remembered the large cities, the impressive chimneys, the architecture, and the food. It was a world so different from her home.

"Yeah, it's so different from the tribes" she said, more to herself than to anyone else.

"I bet they wouldn't welcome someone from the Water Tribes" said Kyria, sounding slightly crestfallen.

Katara didn't say anything, she didn't know what it was like in the Fire Nation at the moment, how the people were or how they were would accept foreigners, after years of being indoctrinated with the idea that they were the superior nation. She remembered how the villagers of Jung Hui became angry when they found out that she was a waterbender.

_But then _a voice told her. _They weren't angry because I was a waterbender, they were angry because I disguised myself as the Painted Lady. _

"What am I going to do?" said Kyria, whose thoughts were clearly not on the Fire Nation. "We'll talk to Gran Gran" said Katara. "She'll put a stop to this. She has to"

The two friends did not say anything as they both contemplated their futures, neither of which seemed very bright.

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_A/N: Please review! Thanks. _


	7. She's Not Here

_A/N: I would like to thank ArrayePL, Rohain Tahquil, Gongsun Du and doctor anthony for their reviews.I hope that you guys along with the other readers enjoy this chapter. _

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**_Chapter 6 – She's Not Here_**

The sky was cloudless, turquoise blue, everywhere he looked he could see green plains that stretched on endlessly. He could hear the birds chirping, singing a tune that simple but harmonious, songs that were in sync with the nature that surrounded them. He bent down and picked a flower from the grass, and took a sniff.

_This is beautiful _he thought to himself, and indeed it was.

Everything was so peaceful, so serene. This was why he fought the Firelord, he reminded himself, this was why he risked everything not just for the people he loved but also so that the world will have places like this. Places were nature could hold sway over the environment, places where the earth could speak to those who would take the time to listen.

_This is an awesome place to meditate _he thought to himself.

He twirled around, wishing he had five or six eyes to catch everything at once.

It was then did he notice something strange.

Atop a hill, was a cherry blossom tree was not too far away from him.

_Hey, _he thought to himself. _That wasn't there before. _

It was then did he notice the person standing beneath the cherry blossom tree. The person's back was turned to him, but looking at the slender posture, he already knew who it was.

"Katara!" he yelled, running after her. "Katara, It's me"

He began running towards, joy and elation surged through him, even though she had not turned around. He ran up to her using airbending to quicken his speed. He reached the tree and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Katara" he cried, joyfully. "It's-"

She turned around and he gasped in surprise. Katara was not standing in front of him, instead, a familiar pale face, with black hair and ghostly pale eyes was staring at him.

"Hey, Aang" she said, smiling. "Expecting someone else?"

"Where's Katara?" he said.

Toph smirked, as she replied. "She's not here, Aang"

"What are you talking about? Of course she was-"

"She's. Not. Here. Aang" said Toph, enunciating each word as if talking to a two-year-old. "She never was"

Aang frowned confused.

"Stop playing, Toph" he said. "I just saw her-"

"Did you?"

Aang stopped speaking, his mouth frozen wide open. "No" he said. "But I saw her just here where you're standing"

"Did you see her face?"

"No"

"She's not here, Aang" said Toph, reverting to her previous words "She never was"

"Stop saying that!" snapped Aang. "What are you talking about? She's always been there for me! She's been with me ever since I came out of the iceberg. She's been with me before you were!"

Toph blinked, apparently not offended by what Aang said.

"Yes, Aang, Katara was there when you came out of the iceberg" she said. "But where is she now?"

"I…" stuttered Aang, clearly confused. "She was here! I know she was!"

"She's not here, Aang" said Toph. "She's somewhere else"

"Will you stop saying that!" said Aang, his anger growing at her words. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means, what it means" said Toph, determined to remain ambiguous. "Katara is not here. She never in the place where you were. She's somewhere else, Aang. She always been somewhere else"

Aang lost it.

"Will you stop it!" yelled Aang. "You're driving me crazy! I want to talk to Katara! I want Katara!"

The smile on Toph's face vanished.

"Wrong answer" she said.

Her voice was deep, almost unnatural.

"Wrong answer, Avatar Aang"

Aang gasped as the sky suddenly turned crimson, as if someone had splattered blood across a canvas. Aang's eyes widened as he saw something streak across the skies.

"A comet!" gasped. "Sozin's comet returned? But how?"

He grabbed Toph's hand.

"Toph we need to stop it" he said. "We need to stop the comet from hitting the ground"

But Toph didn't move.

"Toph!" yelled Aang. "Didn't you hear what I said? We need to-"

It was too late the comet hit the ground with an almighty bang. Aang could only watch horror as a ring of fire emitted from the comet and began to spread, burning everything until it was crisp black.

"Toph" yelled Aang, tugging at her hand. "We need to go! We need to get out of here"

But Toph did not move. She stared at Aang as if she could see him, behind her, the ground exploded, destroying everything in it's path.

"Toph! What are you doing? We have to leave!"

"Go ahead, Aang" said Toph. "Go on without me"

"No! I'm not leaving you, we have to go"

But Toph did not move. The ring of fire approached her, inching ever closer.

"Toph, the fire is right behind you-" said Aang, desperately. "_Please _move"

"Katara is not here, Aang" said Toph.

The fire was inches behind her head.

"But I am"

The fire claimed her, and Toph suddenly disappeared in an array of ashes.

Aang woke with a start.

The avatar gasped, breathing hard, trying his best to recover his composure.

"What was that?" he murmured to himself. "What was going on? What was happening?"

Everything had been so beautiful and peaceful until that comet came and destroyed everything. Aang looked around and sighed, he was in a rather large room, made almost entirely out of wood. He knew that Toph would be sleeping in another room, or would she be asleep at all? Aang knew that Toph hated things that robbed of her senses. The airbender got to his feet and made his way towards the window. There wasn't a single cloud in the starry sky, the moon gleamed with mystic majesty as it stared down upon the quaint little island and it's sleeping inhabitants.

"Was that a message from the Spirit World?" he murmured. "What did it mean?"

The events flashed through his mind, he felt a slow build up off panic, as he remembered his surroundings burnt to crisp. Was the world in danger again? Did he overcome so much, only to have peace threatened? Aang took a deep breath to stay calm. There was no point standing there and thinking about it, he needed to do something. His first instinct was to consult Roku, but his heart was not into consulting the former Avatar at the moment. Instead, he stood there staring at the moon, something else was troubling his mind.

"What did Toph mean when she said she's not here?"

What could Toph do, that Katara couldn't?

Aang glanced longingly at the moon, remembering the spirit when she was a human, a gentle and benevolent.

"Yue, you need to tell us more about girls" he murmured.

The moon glimmered, as if laughing at what he said.

Little did the avatar know that he was not the only one looking to the moon for guidance.

* * *

The waves lolled dolefully against the ship as it pressed on towards it's destination. The sky was clear and the stars glimmered brightly against the dark blue sky. For Zuko, tonight reminded him of a night he had once spent with Katara. Sick of protocol, the two of them had sneaked out of a state dinner and ran off towards the beach, to relish their few minutes of freedom. The prince could remember that night as if it were yesterday, Katara had taken him ice surfing that night, it was probably the single most thrilling and exhilarating moment of his life. Even now, just the thought of skiing through the water, on a slippery chunk of ice with an arm wrapped around Katara's slim waist made him smile. It had been one of the few moments when he was able to forget about his problems. But now, standing before the full moon, Zuko felt the burden of the world on his shoulders.

The prince sighed as he looked down at the letter he had in his hand.

_Dear Zuko, _

_It's good to hear from you after such a long time. I heard about what happened at North Chung-Ling and hope all is well. I know you are all right. Your last letter was long. I didn't ask for a detailed account of what was happening there. Stop worrying all the time. You'll do fine. _

_Love, Mai _

The letter was short, simple and cordial. Zuko could easily imagine Mai's nimble fingers cross elegantly over the page as she formed the small, neat script. It was nevertheless, reassuring to know that he had another person to correspond with, apart from his uncle back at the Imperial City. But Zuko couldn't help but be disappointed with the letter. He had hoped for something much longer, especially after the one and half pages he had written for her. Without realizing it, his fingers gently caressed the contents in his breast pocket.

It had been almost a week since he had single handedly put down the riots in North Chung- Ling . Upon further investigation, Zuko and his men had discovered that the Governor had not only been selling resources in the black market but had been gambling with public finances, as a result, he did not have enough money or resources to complete the renovations at the requested deadline. It explained why the Governor had tried to avoid corresponding with him directly and why he attempted to foil the Prince with a fake report. Zuko also found out that the Governor was not alone in his corrupt practices. The Warden, who had a reputation to precede him, accompanied the Governor. Zuko was amidst the process of dealing with them when he received a report from his uncle. The report was brief but it was enough to send jitters of panic through him.

_Rebel attacks in the north. Attack expected on Sozin. You are to take your regiment and reinforce the East and Twenty-Third regiments. _

Zuko sighed, that could only mean that the rebels were growing increasingly confident in their attacks were especially worrying because it could have an adverse effect on the Peace Summit that would take place within a month. It was imperative that they find them and put an end to their destructive intentions before too much damage was done.

"Mind if I join you?" came a voice from behind him.

Zuko recognised the voice.

"Yes, I do"

Lee leaned against the railing of the ship and glanced sideways at his captain.

"Has their been any report from Qin?" said Zuko.

"He has made contact with the rest of the regiment and they will be there within a day" said Lee.

"When did you receive the message?" asked Zuko.

"Yesterday" said Lee.

"So he'll dock at Sozin on the same day that we will" concluded Zuko.

The Dragon Regiment consisted of over three thousand men, but Zuko had taken fifty of his men with him to North Chung Ling, so that he could move swiftly across from the mainland to the island where the city was located. Needless to say, it was a decision he nearly regretted because he was outnumbered two to one when the riots started.

"The men are about to have a drink" said Lee. "I was wondering if you would join us"

Zuko sighed.

"Actually, I'd rather be alone right now" he said.

Lee sighed, "Jeez, you're depressing" he said. "I guess your girl's behaviour is rubbing off on you"

Zuko frowned in annoyance.

"How are things going with the Lady Mai?" said Lee."Just wondering"

"They… could be better" said Zuko, uncertainly.

Lee nodded in understanding. "Travelling throughout the country has its disadvantages, huh?"

"More advantages, though" blurted Zuko, before he could stop himself.

Lee smirked. "What do you mean?" he said.

"Free from… being a prince, from royal protocol" replied Zuko.

He usually didn't talk like this, not with Lee, but tonight brought back memories and he felt lonelier than he usually did.

"Would royal protocol include dating the most depressing knife thrower in the world?" smirked Lee.

Zuko turned sharply to face him; it was times like these when Lee could be so annoying.

"Mai isn't depressing!" he said, defensively.

Lee rolled his eyes. "Right" he said, sarcastically. "Maybe she just acts that way when sees you"

Zuko growled in agitation.

"Just because she isn't as bubbly as other girls doesn't mean she's depressing!" snapped Zuko. "And she isn't like that with me, she's like that with everyone!"

He immediately recoiled in shame; he had let the words slip without realizing it, he was suppose to be _defending_ Mai, not chastising her

"Wow" said Lee. "I can feel _lurve _written all over you two. Why do you date her?"

Zuko looked surprised and annoyed at the blunt question, it was another thing that annoyed him about Lee, his tendency to pry into his affairs. Zuko sighed and turned away.

"Mai cares about me" he said. "And not just because I'm a prince, it's because of who I am"

He meant those words; it was one of the reasons why he had decided to start dating Mai, after his relationship with Katara ended. Zuko knew that he wouldn't have to worry about Mai pestering and scheming her way to the Fire Lady's throne while he was focused on rebuilding the country. Lee chuckled and turned away.

"If she cares about you as she says she does," he said. "Why the lack of communication?"

"I move around a lot," said Zuko. "She knows that"

"But not fast enough to dodge a messenger hawk, surely" came Lee's smart reply. "What has she done to prove that she cares about you?"

Zuko growled angrily at those words.

"She braved a prison so that I, a traitor of the Fire Nation could escape!" he snapped.

Lee raised an eyebrow.

"So she got chucked into a prison where her uncle is in charge?" he said. "Yeah, that has undying love written all over"

Zuko turned to glare at Lee, opened his mouth to retort.

"Why are so curious about my relationship with Mai?" said Zuko."It's none of your business"

"Just curious" said Lee. "Cause there are rumours going around that you're going to marry her"

For a moment, Zuko's heart stopped in hid tracks. He turned around to look at Lee who had a dead serious expression on his face. Zuko instantly knew that he was being serious.

"What?" he yelped, turning around to look at Lee.

"Yep, don't know who started the rumours or how it spread, but word has it that Mai of the House of Yang Chin is the front runner to be the first Fire Lady in almost decade"

"Frontrunner?" said Zuko, with a disgruntled expression his face. "They make it sound like it some sort of race"

"What did you expect? You're the Crown Prince" said Lee, bracingly. "Jeez man, I thought you were smart"

Zuko scowled at Lee.

"So _are_ you marrying her?"

"No!" said Zuko, at once. "I mean there's so much to be done before I could even _think _of settling down"

Zuko looked up at his friend, suddenly suspicious.

"Why are you so curious to know?"

Lee didn't respond.

"Lee" said Zuko, warningly. "I have the right to know why you've been pestering me about my love life!"

Lee sighed; he had the air of someone who was clearly reluctant to do what he was about to do.

"Zuko you're my superior and I respect you, I really do, but you've got a crappy taste in women"

Zuko held back the urge to punch Lee off the ship, it was mark of how well he had learnt to control his temper that he did not act on his impulse.

"Mai is not crappy!" he said.

Lee sighed. "If you say so" he said. "But truth be told, I always thought you would go for someone with a bit more spunk"

Zuko looked bewildered. "Spunk?"

"Spunk" repeated Lee. "Someone who knows how to smile"

Zuko decided to ignore that last comment as he struggled to suppress memories of a girl who could conquer him with her own smile.

"Look, prince" said Lee. "Lady Mai makes the perfect Fire Lady, refined, poised, no interest in politics"

Zuko scowled, didn't Lee just say that he had a crappy taste in women?

"The question you have to ask yourself is" said Lee. "Is whether she makes the perfect girlfriend"

"There's no such thing as perfect" said Zuko. "We all have good and bad in all of us"

"My bad" amended Lee. "The question you have to ask yourself whether she is your perfect match"

Zuko scowled, he refused to take relationship advice from a man who joked about going to concubine palaces. Lee must have read his thoughts, for he merely sighed and changed the subject.

"Well, I'm off to have a drink" he said. "Joining me?"

"Later" said Zuko, not sorry to see the back of Lee.

_There has to be more to these rumours _thought Zuko, as he watched Lee disappear below deck. Otherwise Lee would not do something so bold as to actually interrogate him about his love life. But whether he liked it or not, Lee had highlighted some important points. Was he trying to overrate his relationship with Mai? All because of what she had done for him at the Boiling Rock? Zuko's head began to ache. He rubbed his temple, wishing that he had a cup of tea in his hand.

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_A/N: Please review, thanks very much. _


	8. A Change In the Wind

_A/N: I want to thank ArrayePl, Gongsun Du and doctor anthony for their reviews and I hope that you along with everyone else enjoy the chapter. This update took longer than usual and I apologise for that, but I now have some really awesome ideas for the sequel and I can't wait to get started. I also have another fic out, it's called 'The Prince of Fire' please check it out and let me know what you think of it thus far. _

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_**Chapter 7 – A Change in the Wind.**_

The cold wind rushed in his face as he kept a stoic eye on the direction ahead. Snow started to fall in tiny droplets and he resisted the urge to shiver. Instead, he took deep breaths, calling upon his inner fire to keep him warm. Appa let out a small growl; clearly, the abrupt drop in temperature was getting to him.

"Don't worry, Appa" said Aang, patting the bison gently on the head. "We'll be there soon"

Appa let out another growl, this one carrying a hint of resentment.

"I know you wanted to stay longer" said Aang. "But…"

"Jeez, you'd rather talk to an animal than me" said Toph, from behind. "I'm offended"

Aang turned back to her, with a scowl on his face.

"Appa's my friend" he said. "Just like you"

"So now you're comparing to an animal? Oh, you really know how to make a girl feel good about herself, Twinkle Toes"

Aang growled and turned away, thinking it was best to stop talking before he blew a fuse.

"What's with you?" said Toph. "You've been like this ever since our last pit stop"

Aang didn't respond, his last pit stop had been the Southern Air Temple.

The Avatar had accepted that his people were long gone and that he may never see them again, but it did not make the idea any easier to accept. At the back of his mind, a small part of him hoped that not every single airbender was wiped out in the genocide. That perhaps, a small number had managed to escape and had gone into seclusion, waiting for the Avatar to return.

But now, two years after the war had ended, no one had come to seek him out and the idea that there might have been survivors had begun to crumble. How did you explain to someone the feeling of being the last airbender? How did you tell someone what it was like to be the last known monument of a forgotten world? He was the only person that prevented the memory of the airbenders from fading to dust. Aang took a deep breath; he was so lost in his thoughts that he had forgotten about Toph's question. Toph raised an eyebrow when he did not respond.

"Oh, I see" said Toph. "It's _allll _about Sweetness" she said, dragging the 'all' more than was necessary.

Aang did not respond, in an odd way Toph had hit the nail on the coffin. Aang was going back to the South Pole not only because he had the sudden urge to see his girl again, but also because he knew that if there was anyone who could help regain his hope of finding any surviving airbenders, it would be Katara.

"I need to see her" was all he could muster.

"Humph" came the reply, as the blind girl crossed her arms and turned away from him.

* * *

The town of Minh Chi was nothing more than a jumble of fishing villages along the coastline, united by a common need to thrive in a predominantly industrial economy. Fire Lord Sozin recognized the town's location and natural resources concluding that it would be the perfect location for a rallying point to launch offensives against the Western Air Temple and the Earth Kingdom. Amidst the flurry to construct factories and a massive harbour, Minh Chi transformed from a fishing town to a large industrial city. In 50 ASC, FireLord Azulon renamed the city 'Sozin' in honour of the man responsible for it's transformation. After the war ended, Sozin suffered like many of the cities in the country. Zuko had planned to move to Sozin in the next phase of 'Reconstruction' before the unexpected events at North Chung-Ling. The prince found it ironic that the city had transformed in the beginning of the war years and now it would have to do the same once again with the end of the war.

The royal procession was laid out for him. Zuko stood at the edge of the ramp, as he observed his firebenders adorned in red and white armour. It was during times like these when Zuko felt extremely uncomfortable. The prince became nervous whenever the spotlight was on him, a trait that he had since childhood and two years of travel had done nothing to change that. Zuko couldn't help but think about Azula, who he knew would have enjoyed the attention. Zuko took a deep breath and banished thoughts of his sister from his mind, it was no good thinking about someone who had passed away. A tall, thin man dressed in armour and cloak approached him, greeting him with a salute. Zuko saluted smartly before speaking.

"Has there been any word from the other regiments?"

Major Qin nodded.

"Colonel Hu arrived last week" he said. "Colonel Jao on the other hand, will arrive next week"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Next week?"

"He's coming from the Imperial City, sir" said Qin.

Zuko bit back a sarcastic comment and settled for a nod, he turned towards Lee.

"Lieutenant, Contact Colonel Hu and tell him to meet me, we have defences to discuss. Tell the men to set up camp on the western gates, overlooking the docks"

Lee saluted and immediately sprang into action, barking orders at his men.

Zuko turned to Qin.

"Assemble your team and come with me" he said. "I wish to inspect the city"

Qin bowed to him, "It shall be done, my prince" he said.

Zuko sighed, as his three thousand men worked tirelessly to set up camp as quickly as possible. The prince had observed the terrain surrounding the city as his ship docked into the harbour. The Dai Chi mountain range surrounded Sozin. Zuko instantly realised why Jeong Jeong wanted the city garrisoned with at least three regiments. The Dai Chi mountain range was dangerous, not only for its steep cliffs but also for it's unpredictable volcanoes. Zuko knew from his early education that a long, winding rickety path was the only way through the mountains, and even that was considered unsafe to travel on. In other words, the harbour was the only method of communicating with the rest of the country, without it, Zuko and his men would be dangerously isolated.

Zuko sighed and rubbed his temple as he walked away from the docks, the city's gate could be seen from where he was, a tall and impressive structure that stood atop a hill. A long but straight path lead from docks to the gates. Zuko stared at it for a while, before he noticed something was out of place. He turned around and called for Qin, the major ran to him and saluted.

"My prince?" he said.

"How long have you been here?" asked Zuko.

"A few hours, give or take" said Qin.

"And no one has come to greet you?" said Zuko.

"No one has come from the city" affirmed Qin.

Zuko felt his heartbeat double as he sensed that something was wrong. "Qin, I want a team ready, now!" said Zuko. "I'm going into Sozin"

_Something has gone wrong _thought Zuko, as he marched up the path towards the gate.

* * *

"I'm not sure if this is a good idea, Katara"

The waterbender turned to look at her friend.

"Do you have a better idea in mind?" she asked.

Kyria shook her head, hugging her shoulders to keep the cold at bay.

"Not really" she said.

Katara gave her a kind smile. "Don't worry," she said, soothingly. "It'll be alright"

Kyria gave her a dubious look. The two friends made their way through the snow, hugging each other to stay warm. Night had fallen on the South Pole, and warmth seemed like a distant memory. Katara recalled her days in the Fire Nation and the excessive heat of the country; she never thought that she would miss the Fire Nation until this moment. The wind howled in their ears as their trudged their way towards Kyria's igloo, where her father and her mother would be. Katara wanted to talk to them about Kyria's marriage.

For what seemed like the hundredth time, the idiocy of what she was about to do occurred to her. It would be considered rude and would probably be futile in the end. But Katara couldn't bring herself to sit back and watch her friend forced into a marriage she had no enthusiasm for. Katara glanced at Kyria and noticed the defeated look on her face, and sighed to herself. She had to constantly remind herself that she was Kyria's friend and not her mother, but sometimes it was difficult for Katara to distinguish the difference. Just as Toph would punch people in the arm to express her affection, Katara looked after her friends to show hers.

_Maybe Kyria is right_ she thought. _I do have motherly instincts_

"Here we are" said Kyria, suddenly.

Katara snapped out of her reverie and looked up. There were standing just outside Kyria's home, it looked just like the hundreds of little igloos in the area, but to Katara, it might as well have been an imposing fortress.

"Shall we?" she said, giving her friend a bright smile.

Kyria nodded and together they went inside.

When they entered the igloo, the first thing Katara noticed was her grandmother's presence. Kanna was standing in a tall and imposing fashion, her face silhouetted against the lanterns set on the floor. Sitting on the ground, near the small fire was Kyria's mother, a rather small, straggly woman with wrinkles that could have rivalled Hama's, her thin grey hair was dirty and dishevelled, and she was glaring at Kanna with bright blue eyes that spoke of controlled anger. As the two girls entered, Kyria's mother spoke without looking at either of them.

"Welcome, Kyria, Lady Katara, we've been expecting you" said Kyria's mother.

"You were?" said Katara, before she could stop herself.

"Of course, when your grandmother came, I thought it was only a matter of time before you arrived"

She turned to them and gave her daughter a bright smile.

"I brewed you some peach tea" she said. "It's in the pot over there" she said pointing.

Kyria nodded without speaking a word and went to the corner where the cutlery lay.

"As I was saying, Kimari" said Kanna. "You must take into consideration your daughter's well being, It-"

"We have made this decision with Kyria's well being in mind" said Kyria's mother, who was known as Kimari. "She will be married to a kind, honest young boy from a good family"

Katara raised an eyebrow, 'kind' and 'honest' were not the words Kyria used when talking about her fiancé.

"I wanted to wait till the next full moon, a month away" said Kimari. "Give Kyria time to adjust to the idea, but Joel must leave within a fortnight, my husband wanted the change"

Katara took a deep breath. "But won't it be a good idea to wait?" she said. "That way Kyria _and _Joel would have time to adjust to the idea and you won't rushing into things"

"I speak from experience, Kimari" said Kanna. "You don't want to rush into things that could change the course of your daughter's life forever…"

"I didn't want the change, Tok wanted it' said Kimari, as if that solved everything. "He wants Kyria married before Joel departs for the South Seas"

Katara bubbled with anger at the words spoken.

"But you make it sound like some arrangement that you're eager to be done with!" cried Katara, unable to help herself. "This is your daughter, for La's sake! Not some good used to seal deals with other families!"

"Katara, calm yourself" said Kanna, sternly.

"I am well aware of who she is" said Kimari, the blatant glare she gave Katara was the only clue to feelings. "I also know that she is a beautiful young woman who many men would try to woo, men who are not so…reliable"

Katara gasped as it hit her, ever since she heard about the arranged marriage, she had assumed that Kimari and Tok were cold and uncaring, but that clearly wasn't the case at all. Kimari did care about her daughter, and was worried that she would fall for the sort of man people frowned on, and by marrying her to someone she thought suitable, she would be protecting Kyria from those sort of characters.

_T__he_ _Jet type _thought Katara. 

But Kimari was also a product of her original home, she had probably come to the conclusion that Kyria, being a woman and a non-bender could not achieve more than a good man and a good marriage. Katara glanced at her grandmother and instantly knew that she too had understood why Kimari was doing this.

"Kimari" said Kanna, in a gentle voice. "I understand your concerns, I really do"

Kimari raised an eyebrow.

"How do you think I felt when Katara when she left home to join the Avatar?" said Kanna. "Every night I would lie in my tent, thinking about the little girl who once played house under my nose, wondering if I would ever see her again. Praying to the Moon to watch over her, to give me strength to watch over the tribe, while my little girl travelled across the world braving all sorts of dangers"

Kanna got to her knees and sat in front of Kimari.

"Letting Katara go after the Avatar was one of the hardest things I ever had to do" she said. "But I also knew that I had to let her go when the time came, it came sooner than I expected, sooner than I wanted but I had to do it. Because I knew that I could not control her forever sooner or later I would have to let her decide what sort of life she wanted. And I knew she was ready from the moment she wanted to join the Avatar on his expedition to the North Pole"

Kanna paused to let her words take effect.

"You cannot dictate the terms of Kyria's life to her. You must let her decide the path she takes, or otherwise she will always resent you for what you did, just as Katara nearly resented me for forbidding her to leave home."

Kanna gently gestured for Kimari to look at the gloomy sixteen- year-old girl in the corner.

"Look at your daughter" she said. "How does she look to you"

Like everyone else in the room, Kimari was caught under Kanna's spell.

"Unhappy" she whispered. "I've never known her to be this unhappy"

"She is unhappy because she was forced into this" said Kanna. "That alone is a sign that she is mature enough to make her own decisions, and you must let her make them. She doesn't have all the answers at sixteen, but she will find them if you give her the freedom to do so"

Kimari opened her mouth to say something, but Kanna beat her to it.

"Letting your little girl go is never easy" she said. "We're just like the wolf, we will do anything for them, we will defend our cubs even if it means giving our life. But even the wolf knows when to let her cubs leave den, when it is time for them to brave the dangers of the world"

She paused to let her words take effect.

"We must be like the mother wolf, Kimari"

An awkward pause followed these mesmerising words. Katara stared at her grandmother in awe; she had never heard such oratory from her. Katara had never once stopped to think how leaving would have effected her grandmother, never once stopped to consider the possibility that she was hurting from the absence of her grandchildren. At this moment, Katara did not see her strict foreboding grandmother, she saw the woman who had enough courage to defy an ancient custom, the woman who had the courage to traverse the world all by herself, in the midst of war.

Kimari stared at the glowing coals of the lantern as she contemplated Kanna's words. After what seemed like days, she turned and spoke to Kyria.

"I will speak to your father," she said. "The wedding is off"

* * *

"By Agni, this place has gone to the dogs" said Qin.

Zuko turned and glared at his officer, before entering the courtyard, as he glanced around, trying his best to hide his dismay behind a mask of indifference. Sozin was devastated, towers were crumbling to the ground as if eaten from the inside, houses were nothing more than ash and burnt wood, a once tall, imposing statue of Firelord Sozin was now ruined with scorch marks and it's head decapitated.

As far Zuko could see, there was not a single building that was untouched or standing. The destroyed buildings, however, only made up a small part of the devastating image. Within the courtyard itself, were several tents, probably hundreds crammed together. The tents were nothing more than shelter made from worn and muddy material propped up by poles and sticks, beneath the layers of mud Zuko could see several different colours and odd distortions and realized that some of the tents were made from several clothes stitched together.  
Inside a nearby tent, Zuko could see a variety of things, pots, pans and even a baby's diaper and wondered how long these people had been living like this. A variety of smells hit him and he almost gagged, the smell of burnt wood and ash was strong, but the smell of urine and cesspools was overwhelming.

People began to file out from their tents as the men from the Dragon Regiment approached. The people were filthy to say the least, their individual differences marred by the look of dismay on their faces.

_What the hell happened here _thought Zuko. _How could this have happened? _

"I am Prince Zuko, Leader of the Dragon Regiment" he said, speaking to the crowd in general. "Me and my men are here to help, who among you is your leader"

Beside him Qin snorted, but did not say anything, Zuko ignored him. Nobody spoke; many people gave him apprehensive looks. Zuko sighed and pinched bridge of his nose.

"Who among you is your leader?"

"I am" came a curt voice.

The crowd parted and a tall man with white hair and beard stepped forward. Zuko noticed that despite his scruffy appearance his posture carried dignity and inner strength. Zuko approached the man, with Qin at his side and bowed to the man in respect. A look of surprise flashed through the man's face before he too bowed.

"What happened?" said Zuko, "Why are the people living like this"

The man did not answer instead, he looked around at the people.

"Follow me, prince" he said. "I do not want to discuss this in front of the people"

Without waiting for the other's response, he turned around and walked away. Zuko raised an eyebrow, before he decided to follow. Zuko followed the man into a tent, no different than the others. Save for a few rags on the floor, the tent was empty. The man sat down on the rags, and gestured for Zuko to sit. The prince hesitated before he too sat down, cross-legged. Behind him, he could hear Qin gasp in surprise.

"My name is Zac Fou, Prince Zuko" said the old man. "I am the leader of the people of Minh Chi"

Zuko nodded, realizing that Zac Fou was going to do things his way on his terms, the move into the tent and his introduction proved that much.

"What happened here?" snapped Zuko, he was in no mood for games.

"Good question" said Zac Fou, playing with his beard. "It all happened last week, Prince Zuko. It was like any other night, you see, when men came out of nowhere and attacked us"

"Attacked you" said Zuko, blankly.

"We were taken by surprise" said Zac Fou. "I don't know how it started or how they got in, but the citizens did not take notice anything strange until the barracks was attacked. The barracks, the academy and the Fire Temple were all attacked and demolished within minutes, by the time we were aware that external forces were attacking us, they disappeared"

"Disappeared?" said Zuko, he was having trouble keeping up with the man's story.

"Not for long, of course" continued Zac Fou. "They came back the next night and attacked the market district, _that _was when any sense of order in the city broke down, after the market district they attacked houses, tearing anything that we rebuilt and killing anyone who opposed them. We have lost many fine, young men in their relentless attacks"

Zuko felt numb inside as he listened to Zac Fou. How could this have happened? According to Jeong Jeong, they were _expecting _an attack not trying to save the city from one, what was going on?

"But the East Regiment?" said Zuko. "Colonel Hu sent us word that he was here and has been for a week"

Zac Fou raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" he snapped. "No regiment has come this way. We have been on our own"

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_A/N: Please leave a review on your way out. Thanks. _


	9. Awkward Relationships

_A/N: I want to thank sammy and Rohain Tanquil for their awesome reviews._

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_**Chapter 8 - Awkward Relationships**_

"As far as I can see, many of the items on the list have not risen to exuberant price levels" said Minister Yan Chang. "The list could be a hoax"

Iroh nodded silently. It was a beautiful autumn evening; the sky was aglow with a rich shade of orange and yellow as the sun set on the horizon. Iroh was more than content going to the gardens and mediating; it seemed like the perfect opportunity to relish in a few moments of peace. But much to the Fire Lord's annoyance, he was stuck inside his office _yet again _trying to sort out what could be an extremely complicated mess. He was strongly reminded of the time when he was in prison after Azula had taken over Ba Sing Se. After having a taste of freedom, Iroh had come to realize that there was little difference between the life of a royal and the life of a beggar, one was simply a different sort of prison than the other.

_It is the complication of life _thought Iroh. Nobody was ever truly free despite what they thought. They were put on this earth to play a part.

_All the world's a stage,__And all the men and women merely players _thought Iroh. _If only I could remember the name of the playwright who wrote those words…._

"My Lord?" said Yan Chang. "We must consider the possibility that Minister Yen is engaging in corrupt practices"

Iroh nodded, but did not say a word. "What do you propose to do?"

"Wait" replied Iroh. "I cannot arrest Minister Yen with nothing but a fraudulent list as proof of his disloyalty"

_The Music Night Festival will be a disaster _he thought to himself.

The retired General clenched a first, expecting the Minister to say something. He was therefore surprised when Yan Chang only nodded.

"That sounds fair" he said. "A fair and decisive decision from the Firelord as was expected of you, General Iroh"

Iroh narrowed his eyes, there was a fine line between loyalty and ass kissing, and Yan Chang was severely close to crossing the line. Iroh resisted the urge to sigh and rub his temple. The last thing he needed was another sneaky man with a hidden agenda.

"Your Majesty, with your permission I would like to move on to a topic of a more personal nature"

Iroh nodded, he felt drained, and he needed to deal with Minister Yen as quickly as possible.

"Speak, Minister" he said.

But Minister Yan Chang did not speak at once, his eyes shifted to the portraits that held the pictures of Lu Ten and baby Zuko.

"Your family has produced many fine people" he said, more to himself than Iroh. "I once met Lu Ten before he left for Ba Sing Se, he was a fine prince, noble, idealistic, much like his father. It is a shame he's no longer with you"

Iroh nodded, ignoring the stab of pain that came about whenever someone threw out Lu Ten's name so casually.

"I'm sure your father must have taken into careful consideration who your wife would have been" he said. "There is nothing more important to a Fire Lord than ensuring that his bloodline lives on in a capable mind"

"Yes" said Iroh, wearily. "Nothing more important"

"But these past couple of years" continued the Minister. "Have seen the royal family lose many fine young people, Prince Lu Ten, Princess Azula…"

Iroh resisted the urge to snort.

"And now with Prince Zuko out there fighting rebels…. I was surprised by your decision to send him to Sozin, My lord"

Iroh waved his hand and a servant came forward with a cup of tea.

"Prince Zuko is with one of the finest regiments in the country" said Iroh. "I am certain that he will be able to handle the situation, he has dealt with much worse"

"Indeed" said the Minister. "He's a capable warrior, much like his uncle"

_ Where is he going with this?_ thought Iroh. _And for Agni's sake, why can't he just spit it out?_

"But General Iroh, surely, amidst everything that is going on, thoughts of the future have not occurred to you?"

Iroh raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" he said. "Everything we have done thus far is for a better future"

The Minister nodded. "The future of the country, surely" he said. "What of the royal family, My Lord? Surely as it's head you would have given some thought to the future of the family?"

Iroh frowned, understanding what the Minister was trying to get at. _Oh no _he thought to himself.

_He's not, surely he won't even think about this! _

"Zuko's focus lies on 'Reconstruction' and the rebuilding of this country" said, sharply. "He has no plans to take a wife and I fully support his decision"

"At eighteen, of course" said the Minister. "No boy would entertain thoughts of marriage, but just so you know, General Iroh, Mai has been tied to both Prince Zuko and Princess Azula for quite a while, in fact, my daughter has been involved in a romantic relationship with the Prince"

_He wants to seal his connection with the royal family _he thought to himself. _But why? _

"Minister Yan Chang" said Iroh, harshly. "I do not like what you're proposing. The decision of who will wed the Prince lies with Zuko and Zuko alone. If you leave this instant, I will forget all that you have just said these past few minutes"

The expression on Minister Chang's face did not change, and he remained as stoic as ever.

"Of course, your Majesty" said Minister Chang, as he got to his feet. "I will not perturb you any more"

He got to his feet and made his way towards the door, Iroh looking at him with a calculating look on his face. When the Minister reached the door, however, he stopped and turned around.

"Just so you know, sire" he said. "Your son's choice is…limited, the royal family's precarious position is something not many nobles would want to place themselves in, and I highly doubt that the country's racial views would allow him to take a foreign bride"

With those ominous words, he left the room. Iroh watched the door for a few minutes, as if he could see the Minister through the thick wood. Iroh sighed and put the Minister's words out of his mind. He had more urgent matters to deal with.

* * *

"What are you talking about? No regiment has come this way. We have been on our own"

Zuko stared, not completely registering what was said.

"What are you talking about?" he said.

"We have been on our own," said Zac Fou, he gestured outside to the camp. "Does it look like there has been military presence for the past week?"

Zuko turned to look outside, at the derelict tents.

_It would under my father's reign _he thought to himself.

He turned to glare at Qin.

"You told me to that Colonel Hu was here!" he snapped.

"I thought so, my prince" he said. "I can show you the intelligence report"

Zuko continued to glare at Qin before letting out a small fume of smoke from his lips. Frustration was growing inside him. This was not the situation he was expecting. Not only did he have a city in ruins, but also it seemed like he and his men were on their own.

_Why isn't the regiment here? _He thought to himself.

A thousand possible reasons skyrocketed through his mind like fireworks. The men could have abandoned their duties and joined the rebels, somebody could have tampered with communications, Jeong Jeong could have recalled them, or they could have been ambushed and captured by the rebels…

Zuko sighed and shut his eyes tightly, now was not the time to think about this. He had at least a thousand people living in ditches and unless he didn't do something, disease would run rampant.

"Qin, do we have any supplies of food? Water? Medicine? Anything at all" he said.

Qin nodded. "We have a certain supply of all those things" he said. "But I don't think it will be enough to supply both the people and the troops"

Zuko sighed. _My day just keeps getting better _he thought.

"It's a risk we have to take" he said. "Send word to the men, order them to distribute the food and water, there isn't many to go around so we have to be careful with what we have, get the physicians to tend to the sick, make sure that the medicine goes to those who are severely injured and those who can be saved. If there are those who are going to die, then"

Zuko gave a shrug, leaving the sentence incomplete, he did not like the thought of leaving people to die, but they was nothing he could do. Unless they got more supplies, Zuko and his men had no choice but to be selective. Qin nodded and was about to turn to leave, when Zuko called him.

"I want to see what that report you received" he said. "And have Lieutenant Lee sent to me. I need to discuss certain things with him"

Cursing Agni for his situation, Zuko turned to Zac Fou, the older man had not moved from his position while Zuko was talking to Qin and he was now looking at the prince with a calculating look on his face.

"What?" snapped Zuko, he was in a very agitated mood, given the unexpected dire situation.

"Nothing" said the old man, smoothly.

Zuko glared at the man, who stared back at him coolly.

"Why didn't you send word to the Imperial City?" said Zuko. "We could have sent a taskforce to help these people, why did you take on these so called rebels" "

I told you" said Zac Fou, firmly. "We had no idea there were rebels in the area, until they attacked"

"Why are the people living like this?" continued Zuko, as if he didn't hear the other man. "Don't you know that disease can kill these people?"

"Every time we try to rebuild the rebels come and destroy it, I thought I told you that" snapped Zac Fou. "The people are too afraid to leave the city walls"

"Well, they'll just have to brave the outdoors" snapped Zuko. "Tell the people, to gather what possessions they have, they're going to relocate outside, if there are any other camps in other parts of the city they're coming here too"

Zac Fou got to his feet and glared at the prince.

"You can't just come in here and order us around" he snapped.

"Watch me" snapped Zuko. "I came here expecting to guard this city with at least two other regiments, not to rebuild it on my own"

"You can't rebuild" said Zac Fou, coldly. "Not with those people out there"

Zuko glared at the man, before walking out of the tent.

* * *

Today seemed to be a lot brighter somehow, Katara could quite explain this phenomenon. There was nothing unusual about today nothing seemed different. The people went about their own business, the docks were a flurry of activity as fishermen prepared to leave. People were busy as they marched towards their various destinations from the marketplace to the Training Arena. Yet there was an inexplicable brightness about everything, Katara couldn't quite explain it. Perhaps it was because her Kyria was now relieved from the burden of an arranged marriage.

"Katara!" cried a high-pitched voice.

Or perhaps it was because; Kyria's joy was infectious. Katara dropped her ice daggers and turned around. Kyria was running towards her, a look of pure excitement on her face. She reached Katara and grabbed her hand.

"There's something you have to see!" she gasped.

Without waiting for a reply, she pulled Katara towards the exit of the ice building.

"Hey!" cried Katara, as she skidded along the ice floor. "Kyria! Will you slow down, what's going on?"

"You'll see" was the only reply she got.

Kyria tugged Katara along, the waterbender tried to slow down her friend's movements but it proved futile. She tried to twist her arm out of Kyria's hands, but her friend refused to budge. Katara winced at Kyria's pincer grip, it suddenly occurred to her just how strong Kyria was.

"Kyria, can you please tell me why you're dragging me off in the middle of my training session like this?" she said. "Is it an emergency?"

"Oh no, it's not an emergency" said Kyria, looking back at Katara with a smile on her face. "The sentry spotted something large and furry flying over the towers of the tribe"

Katara's face lit up. "Aang!" she cried. "He's finally here!"

And suddenly, Kataa wasn't being pulled along, rather, _she _was doing the pulling as she began to run. Kyria realized it was a smart idea to let go of Katara, and smiled as she did so.

Katara was not the only one eager to see Appa flying through the air. The entire tribe had gathered around a small courtyard that usually served as the meeting point of many buildings. Katara ran down the hill. Appa's head and horns were visible and she could see an orange blur buzzing around the place. Her pulse quickened and she ran even faster.

Katara ran through the streets springing with delight and excitement.

_He's here! He's here! _she thought excitedly. _He's safe and after a year of not being able to hug and hold him he's finally here._

Katara reached the plaza, which was cramped with people and pushed her way to the front. Aang's face was the first one she sort out, but unfortunately it proved harder than she anticipated as he was zooming in circles around Appa on his air scooter with a jubilant expression on his face. He was clearly showing off to the crowd who were easily impressed and she couldn't help but smile.

Katara decided to let him have his moment of fun, smiling she turned away from the orange and saffron blur and looked for Toph. The earthbender was already punching Sokka in the arm. Clearly, she wasn't wasting any time in teasing him. Katara couldn't help but notice that Toph had changed in the years they've been apart, she had grown a few inches over the past year and not to mention developed in certain places… Katara decided that she would have to have a talk with her no matter how awkward it would be.

She approached the earthbender and pouted.

"Sokka" she said, in the best motherly tone she could muster. "Is Toph bullying you again?"

Toph's head went up and her ears perked.

"Jeez, Sweetness" said Toph. "Only _you _would try to pamper a fifteen-year-old"

"I'm eighteen!" snapped Sokka.

"Really?" said Toph, surprised. "It's kind of hard to tell, you know, with the squeaky voice and all"

Sokka growled in anger. Katara decided to intervene.

"It's great to see you again, Toph" she said, giving Sokka a pointed look.

The warrior merely scoffed and looked away. Katara gathered the earthbender into a tight hug.

"Um, Sweetness" said Toph, in an awkward manner. "I'm glad to see you too but could you not do that in front of everyone?"

"Oh, right" said Katara, letting her go and smiling.

She had forgotten how touchy she was about displaying affection in front of large crowds. Not that she had much to be concerned about, for Aang swirling around Appa distracted them. Katara turned and smiled at Appa.

"Hey, Appa" she said, brightly noticing those familiar brown eyes.

Appa roared enthusiastically.

"Hey Aang!" yelled Sokka, in a jubilant tone. "Get over here!"

Katara felt a cold gust of wind brush over her, and before she knew it. Aang was standing next to her, with a huge grin on his face.

"Hi Katara!" he said, smiling.

Katara smiled. "Hey, Aang" she said, before pulling him into a tight embrace with her chin on his shoulder and his head on her.

"GROUP HUG!!!" roared Sokka, and with that he grabbed Toph by the arm and pulled her over towards the couple, trying to break them up. Katara was enraged.

_You insensitive twit _thought Katara.

Aang however responded with enthusiasm, breaking the hug with her and enveloping the other two. What followed next was chaos.

_"Hey, hey! Watch it with the public display of affection!"_

_"Ouch! That was my foot, Sokka!"_

_"Guys make room for me!"_

"_Momo! get off my head!" _

_"We used to be so good at this…"_

_"Appa NOOO!!!_

It was absolute pandemonium as the four of them tried and failed to accommodate Appa and Momo into the group hug, amidst all the heels and arms and torsos, Katara couldn't help but notice that one important member was not here. She immediately shook her head and banished the thought, now was not the time to be thinking about Zuko.

The crowd around them began to thin out, as their got to our feet. Acting on her instinct, Katara immediately turned to Aang and brushed him off.

"You've gotten taller" she said casually, it was true his shoulders' were _almost _on par with hers. He smiled and blushed deep crimson, and she couldn't help but smile at his reaction.

_He's just so adorable! _she thought to herself.

"Hey guys" said Toph "Can we _please _get out of here it's freezing-"

Katara suddenly noticed something.

"Toph!" she cried abruptly. "You are not wearing any shoes!"

"That's what I was about to say before you cut me off!" snapped Toph clearly she was cranky, possibly because she couldn't see on ice. If that was the case, Katara could sympathize with her. Toph was robbed of the one thing that didn't make her feel helpless and she decided to be patient with her and even motherly if I have to.

"Can we find some shelter?" snapped Toph. "Before I get frost bite and I freeze and die in the mother of all depressing places"

Katara scowled, _nobody _berated her home like that.

"You know Toph" she started. "It's not-"

"Inside! Warmth! Please!" yelled Toph cutting Katara in mid-sentence.

She opened my mouth to retort. Aang must have sensed what was going to happen because he said. "Let's get inside" smiling for added effect "After all Toph doesn't have any shoes"

"Yeah, good idea" said Sokka catching, on surprisingly quick and promptly grabbing Toph by the arm and dragging her away from the couple, displeasure was written all over her face.

"Hey where are you taking me? I wasn't done with her I didn't even _start _with her"

"I can't believe her!" snapped Katara, as Toph's ranting faded away into the distance. "She barely gets here and she's already picking a fight with me!"

Aang turned towards her, with a sheepish grin on his face.

"She's just grumpy" he said, in that reasoning tone that can be so infuriating. "You know, not being able to see and all"

"Yeah" Silence fell between the two of them. "So um…."

Katara's mind was surprisingly blank now that we were alone.

_Say something! You've been wondering all year when he'd come to see you now he's here say something! _

"Uhh"

"This place has sure changed a lot" said Aang, looking around delightfully at the buildings.

"Yeah, it has" she replied automatically looking around, the plaza gave a fine view of my home and it's buildings."You know we have a training arena"

_Training arena? Training arena! That is so rich Katara!_

"Really?" said Aang, sounding interested.

"Yeah it's that building over there" she said, glad that he didn't sound bored and pointing with some enthusiasm towards a dome shaped ceiling.

"Wow!" cried Aang his eyes lighting up "That sure looks neat"

"Yeah it does…. Sokka made it"

"Really?" he said his huge grey eyes lighting up in genuine surprise.

"Well more like he bullied people into building it" she said.

Aang laughed at the comment. When the laughter died down an awkward silence followed.

"Maybe we can practice there sometime" he said, with a little too much enthusiasm. "I miss practising with you Katara"

Katara smiled.

"Yeah I'd like that" she said. "Though I don't think that I'd stand much of a chance against the Avatar"

Aang merely grinned in reply.

"I'm not too sure about that" he said. "You did train me after all"

Katara smiled knowingly. The conversation trailed off into silence, both looking for the words to say.

"So, how have you been?" asked Aang.

"I've been good" came the automatic reply. "Been training students"

"Really?Wait…that's no surprise I mean you've trained me "

"Yeah… and how have you been?"

"Better" said Aang, shyly. "Now, that I am with you".

Katara couldn't help but smile at his sweet words; but the warm feeling quickly vanished at the awkward silence between the two of them.

_Say s__omething! _

_"How's Bumi?" Katara's eyes widened and she barely stopped herself from covering her mouth in horror at those words. _

"Oh you know, he's the same," said Aang whose eyes widened in surprise at the question. "Still laughing like a crazy person and eating those green crystals"

_Bumi? Out of all the things to say you have to mention that crazy old man?_

As Kastara scolded herself she couldn't help but notice Aang's awkward movements, he was making strange movements with his arms, as if attempting to reach out to me and then as if changing his mind let them drop to his side.

"How's travelling with Toph?" she asked trying to get his mind off his hands "Couldn't have been easy, I mean" she added with a laugh, when

Aang frowned in confusion.

"I mean…You saw her just now"

"Well" said Aang, scratching his bald head. "It was difficult at first but when I got used to her…she wasn't so bad"

Katara's eyes widened in genuine surprise.

_Was he bullied into saying that? _

"Ohhh"

"Yeah" said Aang, laughing awkwardly. "In fact… she was sometimes… really nice"

"Ahhh, you said something about going to see her parents, how did that go?"

Aang gave a sheepish grin. "I'd rather not talk about it, it didn't go down as we expected"

Katara nodded sympathetically, understanding what Aang was saying but not knowing what to say.

Silence ensued. Katara sighed trying not to express disappointment, she had played out this encounter in her head since she had gotten his letter and it wasn't going the way she thought it would.

Katara looked away from Aang in an attempt to get away from his piercing grey eyes and to think of something else to talk about. Nothing appropriate, however, came to mind and she scowled at herself, not pleased with the way the conversation was going.

"Katara? Are you okay?" asked Aang, concern evident in his eyes.

Katara immediately banished the scowl from her face and pulled out a smile. She didn't want him to think she was scowling because of him.

"I'm fine Aang" she said, "Well then can we go inside? Cause it's snowing…. and I am freezing"

She cast her eyes upwards and much to my surprise white flakes of snow began dropping down on her and Aang being in nothing but his orange and saffron robes was indeed, shivering.

"Come on" said Katara, letting her affection take over. "Let's get you inside"

"Okay!" said Aang.

She neatly tucked his arm into her own, glad that they were finally doing something that made them feel more like a couple and lead him towards her house…all the while trying my best to banish that fleeting feeling of disappointment.

* * *

The skies were dark as night fell on Sozin, the area surrounding the city was lit by hundreds of tiny lamps set up by both citizens and military. Many people were relocated outside the city walls, though there were still people who refused to move beyond the shelter of the city. Several men in red and white armour were patrolling through the tents, keeping a sharp eye on the makeshift watchtowers they had set up in various points in the city. The supplies of food and water were all used up, Qin had been correct when he said that they weren't enough for both military and civilians. The air was thick with the sounds of crying, talking and distressed voices that came about when people were cramped together.

Zuko sat in his tent, blocking out the sounds of chaos from his mind. He gently fingered the sleeve of his black outfit, recalling the last time he had worn something like this. It was the time when he and Katara had snuck out of the palace. It was her last day in the Fire Nation, before she departed for the Earth Kingdom with Aang. Zuko could clearly remember that night. They had sneaked out of the palace wearing black over their casual clothes. They had spent that night beneath the skies, they didn't say much, but that was what Zuko loved about it, they didn't need to speak to each other to communicate, they were able to understand each other without the need for simply lay on the cliff that overlooked the city, finding comfort in each other's embrace.

Zuko could remember what it felt like to hold her small but firm body in his arms, the touch of her cool skin against his own, the way his heart rammed against his chest when she put her head on her shoulder, the way his heart would melt at the sight of those blue eyes. That was the one moment in his life when Zuko didn't feel like he was at war with the world, with no honour, and no destiny to worry about. He could just be himself, whenever he was with Katara, he was no longer the prince. He was just a man who had found peace with the woman he loved.

Zuko closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his hand automatically went to his chest pocket, this time, instead of fingering it's contents to make sure it was still there, he pulled it out, and stared at it. It was the letter that Katara had given him, the letter he had received soon after she left the Fire Nation, the letter he had received after she had broken his heart. He could still remember that day; it had been before he had renounced the throne in favour of his uncle, he had travelled to Ba Sing Se with Katara and the others to see him. Zuko could clearly remember that day half a year ago. Zuko and Katara had been at the balustrade, staring at the sunset together when she said the words that ripped his heart.

_This has to end, it's not working. I am sorry. _

He had been shocked because it seemed as if things were working perfectly between them. His hands slowly reached up and touched his scar.

_Maybe it was your face _said a voice in his head. _How could a beautiful woman like her bear to look at a face like yours? _

_But was my face the issue _he thought to himself. _Or was it someone else? _

He felt a stab jealousy at the thought, and he crushed the letter in his hand.

Zuko looked down at the letter, and shook his head. He needed to stop dreaming, he had a mission to do. He kept the crumpled letter aside, he would later regret crushing the letter, but at the moment, he didn't care. The prince slung his dao broadswords over his back, and pulled the hood over his head, it was times like these that he wished that he had his Blue Spirit mask with him. It would certainly be useful for the task he had in mind. After he was done, Zuko made his way to the back of his tent, away from the entrance. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the moment,

_Agni, please watch over me _he thought to himself.

With one last glance around his tent, Zuko ducked around the flap and disappeared into the night.

* * *

_A/N: Please leave a review. _


	10. Down the Dark Tunnel

_A/N: I want to thank Rohain Tahquil, doctor anthony, Gibsonmar, sokkatylee and the unknown review 'Sammy' for their awesome reviews regarding the previous chapter. _

* * *

_**Chapter 9 – Down the Dark Tunnel**_

It was the dead of night, the darkness hung persistently like a blinding veil, refusing to give him any sort of relief from the perpetual blindness he was in. His amber eyes were fixed on the guard who was carefully surveying his surroundings atop the makeshift outpost. While waiting for the guard to pass on, Zuko's eyes shifted towards his intended destination.

Earlier that day, he and Lee had speculated possible areas where the attackers could hide. The two of them had come to the quick conclusion that the only possible were the Dai Chi Mountains themselves. But despite the mutual agreement, Zuko had his doubts, the ravines were almost impossible to scale even with mountain climbing equipment, furthermore, it was not the ideal place to locate your army, the mountains were dry and dusty, meaning there was no water and with the exception of cave shrews, there was little food available. But Zuko was determined to scout the Mountains, and he was determined to do it alone.

The guard was finally satisfied with his surroundings and disappeared from Zuko's view. The prince waited, as he was for a few minutes, before leaping from his crouching position and running as silently as he could on top a broken beam. He needed to be a bit more cautious; he had nearly alerted the guard a few yards back when he accidentally tripped over a metal rod that stuck out of a broken wall.

_That's the result of not having practiced in over two years _he thought to himself, as he leapt atop a crumbling wall and slid down smoothly.

After a few minutes, Zuko stopped, not to catch his breath but to look around. The Dai Chi Mountains was located further away from the coast than he had expected. He couldn't feel the cool breeze he felt near the ocean. He wondered just how large the city was and made a mental note to look at the archives on Sozin when he returned to the Imperial City. Zuko looked ahead at the looming mountains that seemed to gleam a glaring white under the moonlight. He was standing in an area where ruined buildings met grass, which meant that he was in the outskirts of the city. If he could just….

"Going somewhere?"

Zuko reacted in an instant, he spun on his heels and brought out his dual swords, pointing them in the direction he heard the voice.

Lee was leaning against the wall, his arms raised in surrender. Zuko lowered his swords but did not cease his glare at his officer.

"How did you know that I would be here?"

"I know you, my prince" came the reply. "I walked into your tent only to find it empty"

Lee sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Given our discussion that morning, it wasn't hard to figure out where you were going. Which _direction _you were going though, that was a little hard to figure out"

Zuko raised an eyebrow in question.

"The mountains practically surround the city" said Lee, gesturing around them. "You could have gone anywhere, luckily a guard thought he saw something move and someone speak. I figured it had to be you"

Zuko held back a curse, one little mistake brought him to this point, he didn't expect Lee to be so sharp.

"Look, prince" said Lee. "I know what you're planning to do, and I have to say that it is ludicrous"

Zuko sighed and clenched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, there was no point in beating around the bush.

"You yourself stated that whoever attacked Sozin could be hiding in the mountain range"

"It was _speculation_" said Lee, sounding slightly exasperated. "There is no concrete evidence to prove that they're attackers up there"

"But there is no concrete evidence to prove that there isn't" replied Zuko, he turned away from his friend and looked up at the mountain range.

"Try and understand, Lee" said Zuko, his eyes fixed on the mountains. "I have to do this, there's no way we can rebuild this city and return the people to their normal lives while these attackers are so close by. I have to do this, I'm asking you not as a prince but as a friend"

Lee sighed and ran his hand through his hair, and when he spoke, it was in a voice of determined calm.

"As your friend, I understand" said Lee. "I understand that you want to save these people, I also know that you would rather put yourself in harm's way rather than let your men suffer"

Zuko smiled to himself, _Lee can be a bit of a pushover _he thought to himself.

"_But _as your Lieutenant, I feel it is my duty to inform you that what you're planning is _crazy_"

Zuko frowned _Okay, I spoke too soon _he thought.

He rounded on his friend, who was now speaking.

"Think about what you're trying to do!" he snapped. "You're trying to scout a mountain range where people have _died _, we don't even know for sure if they're attackers up there! And even if there were, they can see you coming from miles away and ambush you. At least send scouts up there before taking another step"

"If the attackers are up there" said Zuko. "It would mean putting my men in danger-"

"So what!" snapped Lee, losing his patience. "The harsh reality is that everyone here, the people, our men, me, everyone is dispensable, everyone _except you_"

Zuko glared at his friend. "I will not see it that way!" he snapped.

"You have to" said Lee. "You're not the Banished Prince who roamed the Earth Kingdom, anymore. You're the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation! The father of 'Reconstruction' Do you have any idea what would happen if something happened to you? Or worse, if you were killed?"

Zuko looked away and did not respond. Lee took the silence as his signal to continue.

"Don't you think it's odd?" he said. "That they destroyed practically every building except the docks?"

Zuko did not respond, yes, it had occurred to him as odd that the docks were the only functional building left standing amidst the sea of destruction.

"I thought it was weird" said Lee. "Because if your goal is to make the people submit to your will, then why not destroy the only chance of getting word out to the Imperial City? Why not destroy the only building that would grant entry to the army? Destroy the docks, Sozin is cut off from the Fire Nation. It then occurred to me" continued Lee. "That maybe the point wasn't to takeover Sozin"

Zuko looked up, positively alarmed.

"What do you mean?" he said.

"Think about it, my prince" said Lee. "We're the only regiment up here. It will take _days _before word reaches the nearest city. Anything can happen in that period of time"

"What are you saying, Lee?" said Zuko.

"The point of destroying Sozin" said Lee. "May not be to take over the city, but to draw _you_ into a trap that will be hard to get out of"

Zuko's blood went cold; he glanced at his surroundings in horror.

_Buildings were destroyed, people were killed _he thought. _Just to get to me? By Agni, am I hated that much? Are there so many people who will do absolutely anything to get rid of me?_

"You need to think this through" said Lee. "We need to send scouts to the area. Based on what they find, we can make our next move"

Zuko pondered Lee's words. Lee was not as preposterous as he sounded, Zuko realized. Being the Crown Prince, Zuko was probably one of the most important people in the Fire Nation, chaos would follow if something happened to him. There was no concrete evidence to prove that whoever attacked Sozin was hiding in the mountains, for all he knew, the attackers could have abandoned the area when the Dragon Regiment arrived. Lee's theory wasn't all that outrageous either, he realized. Riots had taken place right across the country, it wasn't that far fetched to think that there was a group of angry people waiting to pounce on him. Somehow, the thought didn't seem to scare him. Zuko looked up and his eyes seem to glow in the moonlight, he had made his decision.

"You're right, Lee" he said. "We don't know that if the attackers of Sozin are still out there. There's every chance that whoever attacked Sozin, did it as a ruse to call me here, where we can only reach the rest of the country by ship"

Lee sighed in relief.

"_However_"

Lee groaned.

"I simply refuse to just sit back and wait for the attackers to come to me, I refuse to put innocent people between me and my enemy, if these people are willing to destroy an entire city and starve the populace just to get to me, then I cannot just step aside and let them do as they wish"

Zuko's eyes glinted with malice, as he looked at Lee. "If these people want me" he said. "Then I am going to them. They asked for trouble _the moment _they decided to do this"

Lee sighed in resignation, he knew Zuko well enough to know that once the prince had made up his mind, there was no stopping him.

"You're too stubborn for your own good" he said.

"Qin will be in charge of the refugee camp" said Zuko. "You're in charge of the regiment"

Lee nodded and turned away, he walked a few steps before he stopped.

"Come back alive, Zuko" he said. "I'm not asking as your officer, I'm telling you as a friend. _Come back alive_"

Zuko smiled and placed his dual swords back in it's sheath. Without saying a word, he turned around and made his way towards the mountains.

* * *

"You should have seen how the hog monkey reacted, I mean, it was _furious _when we took it's children…"

Katara listened to Aang with a small smile on her face. It heartened her to know that the task of being the keeper of world peace had not prevented him from having fun. As Katara watched him rant about the wild hog monkeys he encountered in the Earth Kingdom, her mind couldn't help but go back to the time when she had begun seen him as more then just friends.

_It was mid autumn, a time when the breeze was cool but not freezing and a feeling of anticipation hung about in the air._ _Katara watched the trees shed their brown, red leaves remembering the man who had once taken her up those trees on a pulley. _

_"Katara?" It was Aang, the waterbender turned around to face him and smiled. _

_"What is it, Aang?" she said. _

_The avatar sighed and looked away, he rubbed the back of his head, nervously. _

_"I…" _

_"Aang?" _

_"I just wanted to know if you are okay," he blurted out. _

_Katara gave him a smile, though it did not reach her eyes. _

_"Why would you think that I'm not fine?" she asked. _

_"You've been really preoccupied lately" he said. "Distracted" He added, somewhat lamely._

_ Katara smiled at his good intentions. "I'm fine, Aang" she said. "Really, I am" _

_"Are you sure?" he persisted. "You haven't been yourself since we left the Fire Nation"_

_ Katara's smile faltered, she didn't want to think about the Fire Nation, thinking about the country would inevitably draw thoughts of it's leader, and he was the last person she wanted to think about at the moment. _

_"It's a bit odd" she said, turning away from him._

_ Aang frowned at her words. _

_"What do you mean?" he asked, confused._

_ Katara looked down at her feet, struggling to find the words that were appropriate. _

_"It's just that" she said. "I never thought that I would be travelling after the war ended" _

_"But Katara, travelling is great!" said Aang. "We get to see the world! We get to have adventure! What more do you want?" _

_Katara didn't know how to answer that. She simply smiled at Aang's exuberance. _

_"Katara, you've got to lighten up" he said, walking up to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "The war is over, all the fear, the destruction, the tyranny, it's all come to an end" _

_"Yes" whispered, Katara. "Thanks to you" _

_To her surprise, Aang shook his head. _

_"No, Katara" he said, with a surprising touch of firmness. "It was all thanks to you" _

_Katara was surprised, she had never considered herself the saviour of the world, that title had always gone to Aang, it was meant to be ever since he came into the world, it was his destiny, she was simply the girl who saw him achieve what he was always meant to do. _

_"Aang, that's really sweet of you" she said. "But the war ended thanks to you, everyone knows that" _

_"And I could never have done it if it weren't you" he said, smiling. "Our travels were fun and all, but there were some hard times, really hard times which I could never have gone through without your help. You kept us going when things went bad. You saved me, Katara" he added in a soft whisper. _

_In spite of herself, she felt a warm glow envelope her insides. _

_"The world may thank the Avatar for bringing peace" he said. "But I will always thank my friends for giving me the world"_

_ Katara's felt a surge of love for the boy before her. _

_"Oh, Aang" she said, embracing the slightly shorter boy. "That was so sweet!" _

_Aang smiled and blushed, and all at once he returned to being the nervous boy he was only a few seconds ago. A brief silence followed, before Katara spoke. _

_"We're we going now?" she said. _

_"The Eastern Earth Kingdom" said Aang. "Zuko told me that many of the Fire Nations' former colonies are there. He said that he had given orders for troops to pull out. He advised me to be there lest there be trouble"_

_ Katara resisted the urge to frown at the one name she didn't want to be mentioned. _

_"It's going to be a mess" she said. _

_Aang sighed, "I know" he said, sounding nervous._

_ Katara felt the motherly urge overcome her and she placed a hand on his shoulder. _

_"Don't be nervous" she said, encouragingly. "You can do it, I know you can" _

_ Aang smiled at her, though he did not say anything. He turned around and began walking towards the town where they were staying for the night. _

_"We better get back" he said. "Sokka will wonder where you had run off to"_

Katara wondered when he had grown so much, was it while Zuko distracted her with a flimsy relationship that had no hope? She continued to smile as her thoughts overtook her mind, completely neglecting Aang's words. That was where she had begun to see him in a different light, under the autumn trees she was able to see a more mature and wiser Aang.

_That was where it started _she thought to herself.

The relationship began to change from that day on, as they went from platonic friends to lovers. She could remember the day of their first kiss, a few weeks after they had left the Fire Nation.

_"Not so hard" _she remembered herself saying. "_You need to be a little gentler"_

_Aang was visibly flustered at having floundered his first kiss. _

_"Oh, Re-really?" he said._

_ Katara nodded. _

_"I'm sorry" he blurted out. "I mean… It's my first time, I've never done this before"_

_ Katara already knew that from the way he had clamped onto her lips like a crab. _

_Katara shook her head. _

_"Don't be," she said. "In time, you'll get used to it, it's just like bending, you get better with practice" _

_Aang looked at her hopefully. _

_"Here" she said, in response to his unasked question. "Let me show you"_

_It was nothing like Zuko _was the first thought that ran through her head. With Zuko the kiss had been gentle but intense, passionate but soothing. His warm, gentle lips had sent her to the Spirit World and back. With Aang it had been wet… there was no other word to describe it, he was completely clueless and Katara had done all the work. But she refused to draw comparisons between the two, she thought to herself. Zuko had been far more experienced than she was, while Aang was relatively new to the whole scenario of kissing. The relationship had taken on new heights after that night.

_It was amazing how a few good kisses can affect one's relationship_ she thought.

Since that night, Katara had fallen into her obligatory role as the Avatar's girlfriend, it somehow seemed fitting that the girl who had guided him through the world should eventually become the only woman in his life.

"Katara? Are you alright?" said Aang.

Katara snapped out of her reverie and pulled out a dashing smile.

"Of course I am," she said. "Why do you ask that?"

"Because you looked completely spaced out," he said, sounding worried. "Are you alright? Do you want to lie down?"

Katara resisted the urge to smile at his concern.

"I'm fine, Aang, Really"

Aang didn't look entirely convinced. Katara merely smiled at him.

"Shall I get you some tea?" she said. "It's awfully cold"

Awfully cold seemed to be an understatement to describe the weather, but Aang did not seem to notice, he looked slightly downcast but he shook his head.

"No" he said. "I'm good"

Katara nodded and walked away, trying her best to ignore the empty feeling inside her.

"Katara?"

The waterbender turned around, Aang was not looking at her, his eyes fixed on the small fire.

"What is it Aang?"

Aang opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it.

"Nothing, I'd just like some tea"

Katara frowned in confusion. "But you just said-"

"I know what I just said!" said Aang, raising his voice. He paused and his grey eyes focused on his feet.

"I'll be outside" he said, getting up and leaving the Katara to stare at his back, a look of hurt and confusion on her face.

* * *

The scene of the sun setting against the crimson horizon was a familiar sight to Iroh, standing at the balcony, his hands draped over the balustrade, he could feel the cold winds whip his cloak, as he contemplated his next move. There were telltale signs that the Fire Nation was in trouble, signs that the people were not pleased with the Dragon Throne. His thoughts turned to North Chung-Ling, was the Governor's corruption an isolated case? Or was it the tip of the iceberg?

He took a sip of jasmine tea and turned towards the familiar garden with the pond of turtle ducks. It was Zuko's favourite place to be, Iroh knew that much, because it was where the prince and Ursa had spent much of their time together. But Zuko did not know that the pond held memories, of his wife and Lu Ten as well. Iroh closed his eyes to prevent the tears from seeping through, now was not the time to be emotional. When the Firelord opened his brown eyes, the first thing he noticed was a small speck in the sky flying in his direction. Frowning, Iroh continued to watch the speck until he was able to recognise what it was. It was a hawk, but it was not the typical scarlet messenger hawks people used. Instead, this one was large and dull brown, and it had a rather wild look as opposed to the more elegant image of the messenger hawks. The hawk approached Iroh and the Firelord immediately held out his arm, frowning at the scroll tied to it's claw. The old man unfurled it, scarcely noticing the hawk taking off into the skies. It was a letter from Zuko, his ship had berthed at Sozin. Iroh read the contents of the letter and his eyes widened in horror. For a moment, his breathing quickened and his muscles tensed. The situation had been worse, _much _worse than he had anticipated. Iroh stared at the letter, unable to believe what Zuko was planning to do.

"You never learn, do you, my nephew?" said Iroh, shaking his head.

There was no other choice now, Iroh hated to admit it, but the situation was spiralling out of control faster than he realized, and the members of the royal family could no longer handle it all by themselves.

"It is time to call for aid" murmured Iroh.

The wind picked up speed, as if approving of Iroh's decision. The Firelord left the balcony and with it, his sense of serenity.

* * *

Scaling the mountains was no easy task, and Zuko began to understand why people avoided this place like the plague. The terrain itself was steep and awkward to climb and there were several lose rocks and boulders that clung to the mountainside with deceptive firmness. Zuko had nearly fallen off the mountain on countless occasions, and he suddenly found himself cursing the attackers for choosing this city of all places to attack.

The prince tentatively tested a rock to his right before shifting his weight onto it. He had grown thinner in the past two years, and he was suddenly grateful for the loss of weight, even though it may not have been the healthy for his body. With remarkable strength, he pulled himself up and grabbed onto the ledge. His muscles were burning with exhaustion but Zuko chose to ignore his body's complaints, he was almost at the end. He could feel it. With a sharp intake of breath, Zuko hauled himself over the ledge with one quick leap and looked around. Nothing but rock and gravel met his eyes, as he surveyed his surroundings.

Out of the gloomy darkness, he could see a yellow pinprick of light. Zuko's eyes narrowed with focus, the light was cast across a wall of rock, and the reflected light was orange yellow, indicating that the source of light was a very small campfire. Zuko smirked, and began to move cautiously amongst the boulders, trying to avoid any loose rocks. It suddenly occurred to the prince, that he could not bend in such an environment, his objective was to scout the area and firebending in such a situation would only alert the enemy.  
The prince positioned himself behind the natural wall, providing him with convenient cover. Hiding under the wall, Zuko stood still, hoping to hear signs that there was someone on the other side. Nothing but silence and the soft crackles of a fire greeted him, the silence made him uneasy. Zuko looked over the rocks, and observed his surroundings. There was indeed a small campfire flickering and flitting against the wind, but the prince could see no one in sight. Before the prince could move, he felt a sickening crunch followed by a blinding pain at the back of his head.

As he fell unconscious, Zuko could hear the faint echoes of laughter.

* * *

_A/N: Please review!! _


	11. The Lone Warrior

_A/N: I want to thank Demac, Rohain Tahquil, Gibsonmar and doctor anthony for their awesome reviews, you guys rock!! _

* * *

_**Chapter 10 – The Lone Warrior**_

The seas of the South Pole were quiet and still, despite the deathly cold temperature, there was an odd tranquillity about the deep ocean that most fishermen of the south couldn't resist. Icebergs sharp and narrow were jutting out of the deep blue sea, like sliver knives that glimmered omnisciently in the moonlight. To any stranger, the South Seas seemed to be a picture out of different universe, but to Sokka, it was a good place to think. The young warrior was alone on his quaint little boat as he paddled through the seas, disturbing the stillness of the water with small ripples in the smooth surface.  
It was one reason why he frequently came out here, being out alone in a vast ocean far away from a community that would pry into his thoughts. Being alone enabled him to think freely about all of the issues he kept locked at the back of his mind when he was busy. His blue eyes were focused on a vague direction to the west, as if he could see all the way to the island of Kyoshi, his mind spun with the thoughts of a girl with bright blue eyes and the most incredible smile he had ever seen. Suki had been away from him for far too long, it had been nearly four months since she had last seen her and even though they had corresponded frequently, it simply wasn't enough for the warrior. That in turn, brought out another issue, while he was eager to see her she did not seem to reciprocate these feelings. More than once, he had proposed that he come over to Kyoshi Island for a week or so, but he had received replies of vague enthusiasm that gave him the impression that it was only polite acceptance to his offer. As time passed, the replies to his letters became increasingly shorter and there was a larger gap between each one sent. Preparation for the Peace Summit is a huge undertaking and she has lots to do Sokka understood that, but shouldn't he get a little attention? Was preparation for a Peace Summit so time consuming that she couldn't take time out to write him a decent letter?

_There was a lot of work to do, Love you, see you soon, Bye._

Those were the words she had written in her last letter, the letter he had received two months ago. It was as if she was trying to fulfil some sort of obligation. That was when disturbing thoughts started to cross Soka's mind, what if she had found someone else? What if there was some other guy who she had been spending time with and was using the toil of her work as an excuse? Jealousy stabbed him with venom, as he contemplated the possibility. There was such a huge distance between the two of them, and she was the leader of the Kyoshi warriors, a prominent title in her homeland. What if she, like Yue, had duties to her people, and such duties included marrying a local?

The thought brought out another issue, Sokka turned away from the general direction of Kyoshi Island and turned towards the moon with sorrowful eyes. Yue had chosen her duties over him.

"I understand why you did, what you did" whispered Sokka, as if Yue was sitting right in front of him in the boat instead glowing down on him in the skies. "We would have died if you didn't sacrifice yourself, but if the moon wasn't destroyed and you were still here, would you have chosen your duties over me?"

The moon glimmered sorrowfully, as if feeling his confusion.

"We connected in a way few people did" he said. "One look at each other and we were bound into this spell that no amount of bending could conjure, we spoke to each other with no barriers and for a moment I felt happy and alive"

Sokka closed his eyes and he looked down. "But you were willing to walk away" he said. "In spite of everything said and done, you walked away and that _hurt, _Yue, I don't care if the moon was destroyed, or the fate of the tribes was at stake, or if the world was thrown in darkness, you let go of my hand without a second's hesitation, and that hurt me more than anyone ever realized"

The warrior took a deep breath and continued. "I moved on because I had to" he said. "We were fighting a war, Aang had to train, so I told myself to suck it up, be a man, and get over you. But the truth is… I was only able to move on because I met a girl who was like you in so many ways. She's beautiful, proud, passionate and protective of the people she cares about. But she's also fierce in a way that you never were and she doesn't need my protection the way you did"

Sokka opened his eyes and looked up, a single tear streaming down his face.

"What if she doesn't need me, Yue?" he said. "Will she choose her duties over me, just like you did?"

The moon glimmered down at him, offering no answer but bathing him in a bright light, as if trying to comfort the lost warrior.

* * *

Thunder forked the blood red skies, illuminating the dark ground but only for the briefest moment. Nothing but black, muddy ground and gnarled trees surrounded him. Aang did not know where he was, but he was certain about one thing.

"This can't be the Spirit World" he murmured. "Whatever this place is, this can't be the Spirit World"

There was no way the Spirit World would be this chaotic or hideous. Aang looked around, taking in his surroundings, there was no clue about what he should be doing or where he should be going.

"What am I supposed to do?" he wondered out aloud.

As if responding to his question, a thin bright light lit up at his feet and continued in a single line to a distance where he could not see. Apprehensive, but not afraid, the avatar walked down the line, his feet placed on either side of the luminescent light. Aang continued to walk down the line. The Avatar couldn't shake off the prickly sensation that he was being watched. The glowing line led him into a cave. The young airbender stopped at the entrance, hesitating to enter a dark gloomy area without knowing why. As he stood at the entrance, pondering his decision, a loud cry came from the mouth of the cave. It was a high-pitched cry that expressed fear and pain. Aang gulped nervously, his heartbeat jumping, and the hair on the back of his neck prickled unpleasantly.

"Hello?" he called out. "Is someone there? Are you al right?"

More cries followed, but they were different, they did not express fear or pain but anger and determination.

"_Take it down" _

_"I'll distract it, the rest of you bring it down!" _

_"Don't let it escape the cave!" _

Aang recognised the last voice.

"Roku!" he cried. "Roku are you in there?"

His voice was drowned out by the most inhumane howl he had ever heard; the grounds beneath his feet vibrated, dust from the cave crumbled to the floor.

"Roku!" cried Aang. "Roku where are you?"

No response. Every instinct in Aang's body was telling him to run away, but he couldn't bring himself to abandon his friend and the other people in the cave. Trembling with trepidation, the Avatar stepped into the cave. His weary grey eyes darted around the dark cave, looking for some sort of clue as to what was going on. Nothing but pitch darkness filled the tunnel like a black void, Aang lit a small fire in his palm, the fire provided temporary light but nothing that could penetrate the never ending darkness, the thought of making a bigger fire crossed Aang's mind but he quickly dismissed the idea. Whoever was in the cave, would get a fair warning and he did not want to give them that advantage. Aang continued to walk along the tunnel, his limbs trembling with fear. The silence was oppressive; it felt like deadweight putting extra pressure on his lungs, hindering his breath. Questions exploded in his mind like fireworks. What happened? Where was Roku? Who didn't he want escaping from the caves? Who were the other people fighting alongside him?

Aang suddenly stopped dead in his tracks; the darkness was suddenly broken by a red light that seemed to be coming from around the bend. To make matters worse, Aang could hear a soft growling, like a beast reclining after having fed on it's prey. Aang took a deep breath and steadied himself, there was no good turning back after coming so far. Holding his breath, he turned the corner and gasped at what he saw. Lying at his feet, was a body covered in blood, the body was hardly moving at all, it opened it's eyes and stared at the horrified Avatar.

"Aang…"

The airbender, gasped in horror.

"Avatar Yangchin!" he cried out.

A mourn to his left caught his attention, a man dressed in a blue parka and wearing a wolf's head headdress was breathing hard, a puddle of blood near his temple.

"Avatar Kuruk!" cried Aang, running towards the Avatar. "What happened here?"

"Aang" he gasped. "Run"

Aang shook his head.

"I can't run. I need to find Roku!"

"Aang…"

Roku was crawling towards him, the old man was flat on his stomach, dragging himself forward with his arms, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

"Roku!" cried Aang, running towards his predecessor kneeling before him. "What happened-"

"Aang, you need to get out of here" he said. "Save yourself"

"But-"

A low growl caught his attention, and he looked up. A massive shadowy form was crouching over a body, Aang did not need to look at the green dress nor the gold fans lying at her side to recognise Avatar Kyoshi. The woman's face was deathly pale, even with her makeup, Aang had seen that look before, it was the look of death. The shadowy form looked up at Aang with large red eyes that glowed like ambers in a fire, a red substance was dripping from it's mouth and onto Kyoshi's ravaged stomach. Aang gasped in horror.

"What are you doing!" he cried. "Are you _eating _Avatar Kyoshi?"

The monster growled in response, and leant on it's hunches, ready to pounce.

"Aang!" wheezed Roku. "You _must _get out of here"

But Aang was not listening, for the monster was running towards him. Aang run forward and leapt into the air to summon his air scooter. He twirled gracefully expecting to land on air, instead, he landed on the hard earth. He barely had time to gasp in pain before the monster loomed over him baring it's teeth.

"Why can't I bend?" cried Aang.

The monster leaned over him and roared at his face. Aang was overtaken with the stench of raw meat and the loud howling in his ears. When the roar came to an end, Aang looked up at the monster, he could not see anything apart from the glowing eyes and the large mouth lined with viscous teeth. The monster eyed him as if he were delicious treat. The horror Aang felt increased tenfold.

"I don't want to die!" he cried out, hopelessly. "_I_ _don't want to die_!"

The monster gave him a sadistic smile, before lunging for his throat….

It was with a high-pitched yell that could have woken up the entire tribe, did Avatar Aang awake from his sleep. The airbender was panting hard as if he had just run a mile and was sweating from all pores. Aang placed his elbows on his knees and rested his face against the palms of his hands. This had to be his second nightmare, and by far his worst one. Aang shut his eyes tightly, not wanting to remember the horrifying images of his dream, but his mind seemed to have other ideas. Despite his reluctance, Aang recalled with vivid clarity the black and red scenery, his horror when he saw his past lives on the floor dying and the fear he felt when he saw the monster, the abomination that was feeding on Kyoshi before it turned to him. Aang shivered with fear when he recalled the gruesome image of Kyoshi's insides spilled out all over the floor. What was that monster and why was it attacking the other Avatars? Aang shivered, for so long, ever since that day on the Lion Turtle he had looked upon his past reincarnations with respect, he held a slight reverence for them not just because they were older but they were also more powerful and far wiser in dealing with the issues of being the Avatar and maintaining world peace. The sight of their mauled bodies on the floor was more frightening than Aang would ever admit. What was even more disturbing was because they weren't random dreams, like the ones he had when he gone insomniac for three straight days. These dreams were more vivid, more emotional and more frightening. Was the Spirit World trying to tell him something? Aang groaned into his pillow.

_This is bad, this is really bad _he thought to himself.

Suddenly, a horrifying thought occurred to him, what if he had just seen a premonition? What if there was a demon lurking in the Spirit World hunting down dead Avatars?

"I need to contact Roku" he said, tossing aside his blankets and assuming a meditative posture.

Aang closed his eyes and began to focus.

_Roku _he thought. _Roku I need to talk to you _

No response.

Aang persisted in this vein, he had not meditated for over a year and he had not made an attempt to contact his past lives since the day of the comet, so he knew that it would be a while before the blue spirits appeared before him.

It was in this state that Katara found him, sitting in a meditative posture amidst his furs and murmuring. "Roku, I need to talk to you"

For a moment, she wondered if she should disturb him while he was meditating. During their travels, Aang had always complained about how difficult it was to meditate, but he soon began to realize that trying to get Toph and Sokka to be quiet was like asking a chicken to sing a sonnet and so his complaints seized. Katara was about to leave when Aang let out a loud yell, alarmed Katara turned around to see him beating the ground with his fists.

"Aang?"

"I just don't get it!" he said, angrily. "Why can't I talk to him!"

"Talk to who?" she said, completely lost.

"Roku! I need to talk to Roku!"

Sighing with frustration, Aang got to his feet and tossed aside the furs as if they had done him some offence.

"Aang" said Katara, feeling concerned. "Is everything okay?"

"No everything's not okay!" snapped Aang, gesturing towards the furs. "Why did you get me furs, Katara? Why? You know I hate it when living beings are slaughtered but do you have to make me sleep in their skin?"

Katara was taken aback by his aggressive tone.

"Aang" she said. "It isn't-"

"Are you trying to make fun of the Air Nomad's beliefs? This is _just_ like the day before the comet when you guys were ganging up on me just because I didn't want to kill Ozai"

Katara had had enough, it was simply too early in the morning to be shouting like this, clearly something had happened, something that had nothing to do with the furs, but she needed to rein in Aang's temper before talking to him.

"Aang, stop it" she snapped. "It isn't like that-"

"Oh really?" said Aang, getting even more worked up. "Then why-"

Something exploded off the wall above Aang's head and Toph entered the room with something blue and solid in her hand, her hair was frilly and dishevelled and an angry look on her face.

"Will you _shut up_!" she yelled, enunciating the last two words. "It's too early in the morning to be yelling, and _I can't sleep_!"

"You're one to talk!" roared Aang. "Nobody asked you to come in here!"

Toph was at least a head shorter than Katara but she was no less intimidating, in some ways, even more so.

"You may not have asked me to come in here. _But you're asking for trouble if you're gonna wake me up early in the morning!_"

"What's going on here?"

Katara turned around to meet the stern gaze of her former mentor turned grandfather. The old man's sharp blue eyes glanced at Aang, who was fuming with anger and then at Toph who was glaring in a vague direction to the Avatar's right, then back at Katara. The master frowned at the young girl, as if the entire ordeal was her fault.

"Don't make me ask again," he said. "What's going on here?"

Toph knew better than to pick a fight with a master who was surrounded by his own element.

"Nothing" she snapped. "I'm going back to sleep"

With that she shoved her way out of the room. As soon as Toph disappeared Pakku turned to glare at Aang.

"Disappointing, Avatar Aang, truly disappointing" he said. "How can you expect to keep world balance if you can't rein in that childish temper of yours?"

Aang opened his mouth to say something but Pakku cut him off.

"You may have saved the world by just _barely _defeating Ozai" he said, putting emphasis on the word. "But it does not give you the right to yell like a spoilt brat and disturb the sanctity in my house"

"I'm surprised there's any sanctity with you living here" said Aang, before he could stop himself.

For a moment, everyone in the room froze as the words sunk in. Katara was quick to react, she ran in front of her grandfather, deliberately blocking his view of Aang who was recoiling in shame.

"Aang didn't mean that. He's just a little grouchy, it's my fault really" she said, with a small laugh. "I woke him earlier than I should and he's hungry because he didn't have breakfast"

Pakku's glare did not waver. "I can see that the world has indulged the Avatar though he's nothing more than a spoilt brat" snapped Pakku, glaring at Katara. "You're to blame as well"

"But-"

"Covering for him when he's spoken down to his elders in such a despicable manner. Honestly, Katara, you're not the boy's mother"

Pakku paused to let the words sink in, Katara glared at Pakku, incensed that he would say such words.

"But if you insist on acting like his mother" he continued. "I suggest that you teach him some manners. I'm departing today with the fleet for the South Seas. I expect a more well-mannered boy when I return"

With those words, he turned and left the room.

Aang sighed and rubbed his head in embarrassment. This was not how he wanted his first morning in the South Pole to go. Hesitantly, he turned towards Katara, who had her back turned to him.

"Katara, I-"

"It's okay, Aang" she said, but he could _feel _disappointment behind those sentiments.

"Katara, I'm sorry!" he cried out, unable to take her tone.

There was a pause, while Katara contemplated her reply. After what seemed like an eternity, she spoke.

"You should know, Aang" she said. "That it takes a lot more than an apology to make up for certain things"

"But-"

"Pakku was right" said Katara. "Your attitude was completely unjustifiable"

Aang felt like he was robbed off his breath, she was going to agree with that old geezer? Before he could see another word, Katara left the room, leaving Aang forlorn and alone.

* * *

Lee was not happy. The lieutenant of the Dragon Regiment was displeased with the disposition that he and his men were currently in, and his frustration was peaking with each passing hour. The situation was getting increasingly dire, that much was evident. Supplies were running dangerously low, and even though, some of the civilians had gone out fishing, what they brought back was not enough to feed the populace and the army. Zac Fou, Lee had come to realize was extremely uncooperative with the military, he refused to help in anyway possible, stating that the people were doing fine until they had decided to intervene, his lack of cooperation amplified Lee's problems because the old man could have been a real help.

To make matters worse, there was no prospect of the East and Twenty-Third regiments arriving any time soon. Qin had sent a message to the Imperial City, demanding to know why no one was there to assist them but no response had come as of yet. These problems were just the tip of the iceberg, Lee was not born into nobility, but he had enough intelligence to know that menacing powers were pulling strings within the army. How else would it explain why the Twenty Third Regiment of the Phoneix Division was absent even though they had received a message that explicitly stated that they were here and had been for the past week? To make matters worse, Zuko had decided to explore the Dai Chi Mountains all by himself, which, in Lee's opinion, was an extremely stupid thing to do. Not only was the Crown Prince putting himself in danger, but he was also needed here to get a grip on the situation before it spiralled out of control.

Lee was already having a difficult time managing the army without having to cover for the Prince's absence. Lee knew that if word had gotten out that Zuko was not among them (or worse, captured) then he and Qin would have a difficult time in their hands. Lee always felt that Zuko underestimated his influence over his men and the ordinary people.

"Lieutenant Lee" Lee snapped to attention and nodded.

"What is it, Sen Su?"

"A letter has come through from the Imperial City" came the reply.

Lee almost sighed a breath of relief.

_Finally! _He thought. _Some word on the other regiments _

"It has the blue ribbon" said Sen Su.

"Dammit" cursed Lee.

The blue ribbon indicated that it was only for the Crown Prince to read. But the Crown Prince was not here at the moment, and Lee had a feeling he wouldn't be for a while. Who knew what was in the letter?

_It could contain vital information _he thought to himself.

But then opening it would mean violating the law, on no account was he to open a letter that was meant solely for the eyes of someone else, especially the Crown Prince. But then, would Zuko mind if a friend of his opened it? Lee guessed that he would, Zuko was a private person and would be furious with him. But then again, Zuko was nowhere in the camp.

_This is exactly why I told him not to go _thought Lee, furiously.

"Lieutenant?" Lee took a deep breath, the situation _demanded _that he break the rules, and Lee was never good at following the law to begin with.

"Hand it over, Sen Su" he said. "I'll hand it over to the Crown Prince"

Sen Su frowned. "Maybe I should-"

"Are you questioning my orders, Captain?" snapped Lee.

Sen Su shook his head.

"Of course not, Lieutenant" he said, handing the letter over.

Lee took the scroll and headed towards his tent. He would of course; look like he was keeping it for Zuko because he couldn't let the letter fall into inappropriate hands, but in reality he was going to open and read it.

"It's not like I ever followed the rules anyway" he murmured to himself. "I've always been a bit of a rebel"

The lieutenant entered his tent and glanced around in dismay, since he had taken over operation of the regiment, his tent had been unceremoniously dumped with scrolls and maps. He needed to restore some order to his tent, but first, he had other matters to tend to. Lee glanced at the scroll wrapped with a blue ribbon that was so dark it was almost black. Lee was certain that had Zuko been in his shoes he would not have opened the letter, he would not have broken the law and risked his honour. But Lee was not Zuko, Lee did not grow up into wealth and he was certainly not bombarded with ridiculous ideals such as honour. From thieves to rapists, Lee had encountered every kind of rascal, who did not uphold to the ideals of honour. Growing up in the slums of North Chung-Ling was not easy for a young boy, and if you did not have the strength to struggle through each day, then your life span would be incredibly short. Lee knew that Zuko's motivation to complete 'Reconstruction' was honour and patriotism, two things he was not familiar with. While most men his age joined the army because they felt that they had obligation to their country, Lee joined the army because saw it as the only way to improve his living and repay the man who had rescued from the pits of despair and loneliness. But Lee had not been able to do what was expected of him, and as a result, it had lead to his exile until the war ended.

Lee couldn't help but smirk to himself, as he turned his back on the tent flap.

"Forgive me, my prince," he murmured, as he loosened the knot on the scroll. "But I must disobey your law this time" With those words, he unfurled the scroll and read it's contents.

* * *

"_He's the crown jewel, our most valuable bargaining chip, make sure nothing happens to him" _

"_Keep him bound at all times, there's no need to release him until absolutely necessary" _

The voices he heard were nothing but vague noises to his mind, Zuko struggled through the ocean of dizziness, while at the same time listening to the voices that spoke.

"I can't believe that he was this easy to catch, especially for the likes of Sui"

"_Overrated punk, that's all he is, I bet the palace guards can beat him without breaking a sweat" _

Zuko had regained enough conscience to understand that two men were talking. The prince opened a bleary eye and looked around, his first impression was that he was in a void of some sort. But as his vision cleared he could see that he was in a cave., the looming shadows splashed across the walls was the result of a small fire surrounded by several other men, all of them cloaked in black. Zuko glared at the two tall figures that loomed over him, he couldn't see their faces due to their masks.

"Welcome, Prince Zuko" said one man, in a deep, booming voice. "To our humble abode"

Zuko continued to glare at the man who spoke.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he snapped.

The reply he got was a kick to his gut, Zuko gasped as he felt the wind knocked out of him and he coughed violently until he regained his breathing.

"Understand this prince" said the man with the deep voice. "You are not in the Imperial City, you are far away from your base of authority"

"You don't know what you are talking about" said Zuko, in a raspy voice. "My regiment is not too far from here"

"Yes, but they cannot find us, to them these mountains are nothing more than a bunch of caves, only we know the true nature of the Dai Chi Mountains" Zuko frowned.

_True nature? _

The prince's thoughts were interrupted by another sharp jab to his side.

"Might as well as get used to it Prince" said the man with the deep voice. "You are stuck with us"

Zuko could only glare at them helplessly as his hands were tightly bound.

"What are you going to do to me?" he said.

The men ignored his question and instead, turned their back to him and made their way towards the campfire.

"_Why are you keeping me here?_" he roared.

His voice echoed across the cave, but there was no answer but deafening silence.

* * *

_A/N: Wow, this chapter turned out to be completely different than from what I originally planned. I hope you guys enjoyed, what do you think of Sokka's POV (lack of a better term) and Aang's tantrum? Review and let me know. _


	12. Time To Move

_A/N: I want to thank Rohain Tahquil, Ashra Blitzgeschwind, Larissa and logandzoe123 for their wonderful reviews, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter._

_Larissa - In response to your question, you're right it can be quite confusing, I was trying to portray the fact that Katara and Zuko sort of misunderstood each other and acted rashly. Hence, both of them think that the other ended the relationship. _

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* * *

_

_Chapter 11 – Time to Move_

The group of young people sitting around the fire laughed at Aang's expense as Toph continued to imitate the way he had been screaming when he had run into the Unagi's babies.

"And then he was like _Toph, save me! I'll do anything if you just save me!_ And I was like _you're the waterbender, you do something!_"

Toph couldn't continue as she broke into a fit of laughter, closely followed by Sokka. Katara wasn't laughing though she was trying her best to hide her smile from Aang, who poked his dry vegetables with a sullen expression on his face. The laughter was suddenly broken by the entrance of Bato, Sokka looked up at the warrior with a smile on his face.

"Hey Bato, what brings you down here?"

Bato opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Sokka.

"Hey you want to hear a funny story about Aang?"

"I think Bato has better things to do than hear _your _lame stories, Sokka" snapped Katara. "He clearly has something important otherwise he wouldn't be here"

Toph sighed. "Ah, the return of Madame Fussybritches" she said. "I was wondering where you went off to"

"Did you have something to say, Bato?" said Katara, deliberately ignoring Toph.

"Yes" said Bato, feeling slightly out of place amidst the loud group. "There has been a message for the Avatar, it has the Fire Lord's insignia"

Aang raised his eyebrow to express his surprise.

"Iroh sent me a letter" he said. "But why?"

"Why don't you read it, Aang?" said Katara.

"Oh, right" Feeling rather sheepish, the Avatar took the letter from Bato and broke the seal.

A tense silence followed, as Aang's wide grey eyes scanned the letter. A knowing feeling spread among the group that if Iroh had directly written to Aang then the situation in the Fire Nation couldn't be good. Katara knew from market gossip that the situation was deteriorating steadily.

Everyone jumped when Aang gasped in surprise and dropped the letter. He hastily scooped it into his hands and turned to Bato.

"I'm sorry, Bato" he said. "But I can't let you know about what's written in the letter"

For some reason, Katara's heart clenched at his words, if Aang didn't want anyone else but themselves to know about the letter's contents then it could only mean that the situation was bad, which could only mean that Zuko was in danger. Bato nodded and left the hut, Katara glanced at her friend and brother, from the grave look on Toph's face Katara knew that she too had gotten the meaning behind Aang's words. Sokka, on the other hand, was clueless.

"Why did you send Bato away!" he exclaimed. "He's like our most loyal soldier and our third best warrior!"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "_Third best _warrior?"

"Well" said Sokka, in a calculating tone. "First there's Dad, then there's me…"

"Sokka" hissed Katara, impatiently. "Bato beat you three times in a row without breaking a sweat!"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" said Sokka, sounding exasperated. "The third time doesn't count because I _slipped on the ice! _You can't have a proper duel on ice!"

"Well, the other warriors don't seem to have much trouble," said Katara, with a smirk.

Sokka opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by an aggravated Aang.

"Enough you guys! This is serious!" he snapped. "Do you know what this letter says?"

"Well unless someone tells me, there's a slim chance of me finding out" said Toph.

Aang took a deep breath to keep his temper in check.

_That's weird _thought Katara. _He's never had trouble keeping his temper under control before _

"Iroh wrote this letter" said Aang. "According to him, there's a rebellion movement rising in the Fire Nation and they could pose a serious threat to stability in the country"

Everyone paused to take in the news.

"That sounds bad, really, _really _bad" said Toph. "What about Sparky?"

"Iroh also goes onto say that the rebellion have already destroyed a city" said Aang. "And that Zuko may be in grave danger"

Katara was on her feet in a flash. "We have to go the Fire Nation! _Now!_"

"Let me see the letter" said Sokka.

Aang handed the letter, while nodding at Katara.

"We can leave tomorrow morning" he said. "Appa would have been rested by now, truth be told, he might be eager to get out of the cold"

"I can pack some food for the journey" said Katara. "We may have to make a pit stop at Whale Tail island but-"

"Whoa, whoa hang on" said Sokka. "We can't just go tearing off to the Fire Nation!"

An awkward paused followed as Aang and Katara stared at Sokka.

"Why not, Sokka?" asked Aang, a bit puzzled. "Don't you want to help Zuko?"

"Of course I want to help Zuko" said Sokka. "But Aang did you read the entire letter. Iroh gave _very _specific instructions"

"Really?" said Aang. "I didn't notice.

"We are suppose to fly in at night" said Sokka, whose eyes were scanning the letter. "We're suppose to dress in Fire Nation clothes and fly into Jang Hui"

"Where?" said Toph.

"It's where Master Piando lives" said Sokka.

"That doesn't matter, Sokka" said Katara. "So Iroh wants us to fly in at night, big deal. Are you aware that the man who helped you rescue Dad and Suki maybe in grave danger?"

"That isn't my point-"

"Then what _is _the point, Sokka?" snapped Katara, her temper rising.

The wall of the igloo creaked as a small crack appeared.

"You don't want to go the Fire Nation is that it? You don't want to help a friend? A friend who gave up so much so that we could end the war!" She was close to yelling at this point.

"Katara! Calm down" said Sokka, glancing apprehensively at the igloo wall. "What I'm trying to say is, why can't we just fly into the Royal Palace? It's because Iroh doesn't want anyone to know we are there!"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"_So, _my point is, if Iroh wants to keep us hidden, it means he's afraid of what this rebellion might do. The rebellion movement isn't _rising, _Katara, it's _risen _and they're preparing to hit the Firelord. Hard"

* * *

They had done a good job in keeping him in the dark, not only was he completely oblivious to where he was, he was utterly ignorant of who was holding him. Nobody kept watch over him, apparently he wasn't worth being guarded since he had been captured so easily. That didn't mean he wasn't left alone, a hooded and heavily cloaked person would give him some food and water. They treated him like a display that had to be maintained, did not say a word, they did not so much as look at him, and studiously ignored his yelling.

That did not mean that Zuko had not been studying them for the past week, the prince had observed his captors and discovered that they lead their life according to a schedule with pristine military precision. Zuko's plan of breaking out depended heavily on that schedule. The prince observed that they were only a handful of people living amongst the rather large caves, perhaps fifty at the most. How they had managed to destroy a large city with such few numbers, Zuko had no idea, but he did have a few theories. Zuko did not know the exact details but he realized that the schedule was vaguely divided between sleeping, eating, training and praying. They left the caves and went into open ground for the latter two. It was during these times, did Zuko plan to escape. It was dangerous to attempt an escape while they were training, they will be armed and ready to slice anyone. Zuko's only chance of escape was while they were praying. He didn't know what they did during that time, all he could hear were several voices chanting at once, in a melodic and haunting manner. Zuko didn't know what they were chanting but he intended to find out. But first he had to escape.

They left him alone that night, under the impression that he was fast asleep, if there was one thing Zuko had learnt from his vendetta with Azula, it was the value of the element of surprise. It was with deliberate hesitation, did Zuko open his eyes and glance around. It was unnaturally dark, even though he was fairly close to the surface. The prince slowly undid the bindings around his wrists, he had been undoing it bit by bit for the past couple days, whenever he was certain that no one would look in his direction. The bindings came undone, and he spent a few seconds rubbing the raw flesh. Zuko quickly got to his feet and crouched low on his hunches. Sticking towards the cave wall, Zuko made his way towards the cave entrance. The prince knew that he had to be careful. Just because nobody was watching him did not mean that there wouldn't be anyone patrolling the area.

Zuko reached the edge of the cave and looked around, though it wasn't much help. The prince could barely see three feet ahead of him. His only option was to keep quite and rely on his hearing. Cautiously, he left the cave and looked around. Cool air washed over him like a tidal wave of immense relief. To his left, he could see a faint orange light illuminate the outline of a large cave, Zuko could hear chanting coming from within the depths of the cave and assumed that they were steeped in prayer. Zuko knew that he had only one chance to escape, if he was caught again, he doubted if they would treat him with the same sort of leniency they had in the past couple of days. Zuko sighed and crept out of the cave, wishing that he had his broadswords with him. Quickly and stealthily, Zuko ran in a direction to the west, away from the illuminated cave. He approached a steep ledge and quickly leapt over the rock and landed on the ground. His knees buckled as he landed on the uneven ground. Thinking quickly, Zuko scrambled towards the rock surface and placed his ear against the rock.  
When he was a fugitive in the Earth Kingdom, he and his uncle had the back luck of running into the garrison of a small town. The guards chased them all they way to the mountains. Zuko remembered how desperate he was, he was hot and thirsty from the long run, being stuck in a mountain meant no water unless by luck they ran into a tributary. To make matters worse, the town garrison were scaling the mountains searching for the two traitors of the Fire Nation. They had been trapped, outnumbered and were starving, there was no way they could have fought the garrison and won. His uncle then said something that was both unexpected and a welcome.

_"This mountain is essentially a giant rock" _he had said. _"If the guard is on the same mountain, which I think they are, then I should be able to hear their footsteps echo right through this giant rock. By listening to their footsteps we will be able to tell where they are and avoid them" _

Zuko had thought it was ridiculous and impractical. Yet they had managed to avoid the entire garrison and escape the mountain. Zuko never thought that his uncle's unusual technique would come handy at a time like this. With trepidation, he pressed his ear against the rock and waited. The rock felt cool against his ear but he couldn't hear anything. Zuko closed his eyes and concentrated, searching for a sound that might akin to footsteps.

Just when he was starting to panic, he could hear a faint thud reach his ears, Zuko tensed and listened even harder. The sound came again, this time in a steady rhythm.

_It has to be _he thought to himself. _That has to be the footsteps of a guard, but where is it? _

Zuko chanelled all his concentration into trying to locate the sound. It was in a vague direction to the west, a few seconds of listening had confirmed. The question that now remained was, what was lying to the west that needed to be looked over? The answer sprang to Zuko's mind

_Sozin_.

He needed to get there, raise a search party and capture the people here. Zuko smiled to him, as he removed his ear from the rock.

_Things are starting to finally turn my way. _

"Over there! The prisoner has escaped!"

Zuko turned around, his amber eyes flashing with surprise and panic. A figure, which he could barely make out in the dark, was standing not more than three feet away from him. Before the prince could move, the figure shot a powerful stream of fire, not towards him, but into the air. The fire illuminated Zuko's expression of horror.

_He's alerting the other guards! _He thought to himself.

Meanwhile, the guard charged towards him, waving something over his head. Zuko sidestepped the person and he rammed into the rock behind. The guard crumpled to the ground unconscious but there were others coming, Zuko could hear them from far away. There was no time to think, he had to run. Without a second's hesitation, Zuko took off into the night, desperate to escape the pursuing guards.

* * *

Katara raised an eyebrow as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I fail to see how that makes any difference, Sokka" she said. "If the Fire Nation is in trouble then it means General Iroh and Zuko are in trouble, and I'm going to help my friends"

"But Katara" cried Sokka. "It's the Fire Nation! Do you remember what they put us through? Do you remember what they did to our Tribe?"

Katara rolled her eyes; she should have known the real reason why Sokka wasn't willing to go.

"Now is not the time for this" she snapped. "If you want to sit around and mourn about the past, then do it. I on the other hand, am going to help Zuko"

"But we have duties to our tribe" said Sokka. "We can't just pick up and leave. There's a chance that if we go there, we'll be drawn into a long civil war. I know you Katara, if Zuko was fighting a war, you'd want to be by his side"

The waterbender turned around and glared at him, her blood boiling was at this moment.

"Do you know what you are saying?" she hissed. "You make it sound like I _enjoy_ fighting"

Sokka was quick to correct his mistake. "I'm not saying you do" he said, hastily. "I'm just saying that helping Zuko means placing yourself in danger. Are you really willing to do that after everything we've been through?"

Katara's expression changed the instant he said those words, she immediately turned away. She knew right away that her brother had a point. After everything she had been through, she deserved a little peace, no, she had _earned _it, but at the same time, her heart wouldn't abandon a call for help from Iroh, a call to help Zuko. Aang disrupted her vein of thinking by intervening.

"If the Fire Nation is on the verge of splitting" he said. "It's best if I go there and solve this crisis. Guru Pathik once told me that the four nations are linked. If the Fire Nation descends into chaos it will effect the others as well"

"Not to mention, it will mean trouble at the Peace Summit" said Toph, who was digging deep into her ear.

All three people turned to stare at her, surprised at her intuition. Toph felt the awkward stares and immediately tensed.

"What?" she said, sounding agitated.

"Toph" said Katara, her voice laced in surprise. "You, uh…"

"Said something smart" said Sokka.

"Shut up, Sokka!" snapped Toph "I grew up in high society, guys I know how the powers that be work, even if I don't know the fancy terms, I can see through the flowery crap they call 'small talk'"

_Wow, she's in a bad mood _thought Katara.

"Then that settles it" said Aang. "I have to go even on my own if I have to"

Katara smiled at the bald young man, admiring his courage at his young age.

"Yeah, and if Aang's going I'm going too" spoke Toph. "Don't expect me to stay here. I'm ready to go right now!"

The earthebender leapt to her feet to emphasis her point.

"I'm going with Aang" said Katara, resolutely.

She turned to Sokka. "I appreciate your concern, Sokka, but I can't just ignore people who need me"

Sokka smacked his face in exasperation. "Not _that _again"

"Don't worry. We'll send you a postcard" said Aang, as he turned towards the exit of the igloo, followed by Katara.

"You people just _lurve _playing the hero, don't you?" said Sokka, in a defeated tone. "What can I say? Not everyone can pull it off like we do" said Katara, with a small smile, as she left the igloo.

Sokka watched his sister and friend leave, until he felt someone tugging at his sleeve. When he looked down, Toph was standing next to him.

"Hey, Sokka can you pick me up? I can't make my way in the ice"

Sokka grumbled and grabbed Toph's arm and dragged her towards the exit.

"You know, we usually have dogs to do this sort of thing in the Earth Kingdom" said Toph. "But since I don't have much of a choice, I guess I'll go with the next best thing"

Sokka whirled around and glared at her.

"I'm not a dog!" he snapped.

"I never said you were" said Toph, with a goofy grin. "I said you're the next best thing"

Sokka turned away and grumbled to himself, as he pulled a smiling Toph out of the igloo.

* * *

Zuko was panting hard, his lungs burnt with exhaustion as sprinted through the rocky terrain, trying his best to put as much distance as possible between him and his pursuers, he couldn't see an end in sight, and he was already reaching his limit. His legs and arms felt like lead and were getting heavier with each step he took. To make matters worse, he had to be constantly aware of the uneven ground in fear of losing his balance and tripping over. Zuko leapt over ledge landed on the hard, merciless ground. The prince nearly buckled over but he kept going. Not too far off, he could see vague yellow pinpricks in the distance.

_What is that? _Thought Zuko.

As if in response to his question, the clouds suddenly parted and the moonlight exposed him to a sight he longed to see. Not too far away from the mountain, was the ruined city of Sozin. Zuko resisted the urge to leap into the air, relief began to surge through him at the thought of _finally _getting back to the city.

Suddenly, he fell forward, before his brain could register what had taken place, pain erupted from his jaw as his chin hit the cold, unforgiving stone. The prince gasped and skidded along the ground. After what felt like hours he finally stopped. Coughing and wheezing, Zuko wearily got to his feet, his head spinning from the fall. When he was standing on his feet, Zuko looked around to see what had happened. A figure was standing not too far to his right, as with the others, it was hooded in black and Zuko couldn't distinguish any features.

"This is as far as you go!" came a high-pitched voice, from the depths of the hood. Zuko instantly realized that the person was a woman.

"Surrender now prince! You are exhausted from your run, you are in no position to resist"

Zuko knew that the woman was right. As he stood their panting, Zuko knew that he had two options, one was to fight this woman and continue running, the other was to surrender and hope that they would treat them mercifully. Neither were very favourable options, Zuko was too exhausted to put up an effective fight and he did not like the thought of meekly surrendering. There was only one thing to do. Steadying his resolve, Zuko took a deep breath.

_Uncle will be proud _thought Zuko as he raised his arm above his head.

"What are you doing?" spoke the woman suspiciously.

Zuko opened his mouth and a large spew of fire came forth, unfurling furiously as it approached the woman. At the same time, a large fire spewed forth from his hand and went high into the air, almost touching clouds above his head.

"He's alerting the city!" cried the woman, alarmed.

Zuko didn't have time to respond, he felt an earth shattering pain splinter across his head. As the prince felt himself falling backwards, his last thoughts were of Lee and hoping that he was as smart as Zuko hoped he was.

* * *

No more than a couple of miles away, a guard looked up at the tall tower of fire, wondering what on earth it could be. The guard turned to his comrade.

"Alert the lieutenant" he said. "Something isn't right"

* * *

"Is everyone ready to leave?" called Aang, from atop Appa's head.

"Hey, I was ready to leave two weeks ago," said Toph, who couldn't resist handing out her two cents.

Katara gave her a look. "You don't have to be so sarcastic about my homeland, Toph" she said, resentfully.

"I'm sorry, Sweetness" said Toph, sounding deceptively sincere. "Next time I'll be a bit more considerate when I'm helplessly pawing my way through a blizzard"

Katara simply shook her head and turned away.

_That girl is hopeless _she thought. She was distracted by the sound of running feet.

Katara turned around and gawked at who was approaching. Kyria was running over towards them with a knapsack slung over her shoulders. Aang turned to stare at the girl with a surprised look on his face. Kyria caught up with them, panting hard.

"Kyria!" said Katara surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Kyria took a few moments to catch her breath before she responded.

"I was hoping" she said. "To catch a ride with you guys"

The gang with the exception of Toph, exchanged surprised glances. It was Toph who spoke.

"You want to what now?" she said.

"I mean… I know I shouldn't ask you guys for a favour, especially if you're probably leaving on a mission"

"Who says we're going on a mission?" said Sokka, his eyes wide with suppressed panic. "Did we _say _that we're going on a mission, no we didn't!"

Kyria looked put off. "Oh… well"

Katara rolled her eyes at her brother.

"It's okay Kyria" she said, kindly. "If you need a ride then we're more than happy to give you one but…"

Her voice changed from kindly to concerned. "Why now? Are you planning on leaving the South Pole?"

"Exactly" said Kyria. "I was nearly married off to some guy I didn't know. Kanna gave me a second chance at life and I'm _not _going to throw it away"

"Have you decided where to go?" said Aang.

"I was thinking the Earth Kingdom" said Kyria. "I know it's huge, but that's exactly why I want to go there"

Aang exchanged an apprehensive glance with Katara.

"Do you have an idea where you're going to start?"

At Aang's question, Kyria looked slightly nervous.

"Uhh… not really" she said. "I mean, it's kind of hard to plan a trip here in the South Pole, there are very little resources to do that"

"Oh, Kyria..." said Katara, feeling the motherly urge come over her. It was incredibly brave of Kyria to do what she was doing and Katara completely understood her need to get away from the South Pole after what had just happened. But to go on a trip with hardly any goal in mind was just… rash. Katara frowned in thought, if only there was a way or maybe _someone _who could help Kyria someone who knew the Earth Kingdom and could teach Kyria to watch out for herself, someone who they could trust… Then the answer hit her in a brainwave of brilliance.

"Kyoshi!" she cried out, happily.

Aang raised an eyebrow. "What?" he said uncertainly.

"Aang, let's take Kyria to Kyoshi Island! It's the perfect starting place"

She turned to Kyria who was looking at her curiously. "Kyoshi Island is of the coast of the Earth Kingdom" said Katara. "Our friend, Suki, is the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. She knows all about the Earth Kingdom and she'd be more than happy to help you out"

A smile broke across Kyria's face.

"Really?" she said, hopefully.

"Yes it's perfect!" said Katara. "It fits into our plans perfectly: Kyria can stop there, Appa can have some rest, we can restock supplies and Sokka gets to see Suki"

Sokka took on a stoic look at the mention of his girlfriend.

"What's with you?" said Katara. "I thought you'd be happy at the thought of seeing Suki"

"I am, can't you tell?" said Sokka.

Before Katara could say anything else, her brother turned away from her. Toph raised an eyebrow.

"What's with him?" she said, gesturing to the Water Tribe warrior with her thumb.

Katara shook her head. "I'm not sure" she replied.

"So that settles it, then" said Aang. "We'll make a pit stop at Kyoshi Island. Hop on Kyria"

The young girl smiled and tossed her knapsack towards Katara, she scrambled onto the saddle and when she was settled she gave Katara a gleaming smile to express her excitement.

"Yep, Yep" came the call.

Appa growled and took off into the air. The cold wind rushed at Katara as she turned around and looked down at her beloved homeland as she ignored Kyria's cries of "Oh my goodness!" The kingdom of ice and snow was already fading away as Appa climbed higher and higher. Katara never thought that she would be leaving her homeland so soon, she didn't know when she would see her grandmother or father again but she knew that she would return sooner or later. The Southern Tribe was her home, it would always have a place in her heart and she would always hearken to it's call. But right now, she needed to help her friend, everyone who understood her, knew that she would not just abandon a dear friend. With a sigh, Katara turned her eyes away from the South Pole and turned towards the dark skies.

_Hold on, Zuko _she thought. _I'm coming._

_

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A/N: Please review, thanks a lot! _


	13. Crisis Point

_A/N: I want to thank everyone for all their awesome reviews. Here's Chapter 12. Enjoy!! _

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**_Chapter 12 – Crisis Point_**

Zuko let out a nervous cough, as he tried to look unbridled under the harsh glare of the woman standing over him, she had been watching for the past few days, ever since his foiled escape attempt. Zuko didn't need anyone to tell him that this woman was the person who had foiled his almost successful escape attempt, the smug smile on her face, the expressions of congratulations from her comrades were all he needed to come to this conclusion. Zuko felt uncomfortable, not just because he was chained to a rock, the handcuffs tight against his wrists but also because the woman had been staring at him with uninhibited hatred for the past few minutes without uttering a single word.

Zuko needed information; he needed to know who these people were and why they had attacked Sozin. Unlike the other people in the cave, however, the woman didn't have her mask on, exposing a pallid pale face and dark hair that looked dirty and stringy, she could have easily passed for Mai's twin if it weren't for the expression of anger reflected in her dark eyes. Zuko had seen that look before, it was the look he had once seen whenever he saw his reflection in the mirror. Zuko could clearly remember the struggle he had to control his emotions, it was like holding down a volcano, the moment you let your guard down it spiralled out of control. The prince could clearly remember how Azula frequently used his anger against him.

Zuko was quick to put two and two together, he needed information and here before him was a woman who was bursting with emotion, a woman who has been amongst these rebels for the past few weeks.

Zuko cleared his throat, he didn't know if it was going to work but it was certainly worth the try.

"You were lucky, you know" he said, his quiet voice echoing across the cave.

The woman gave him a cold glare that promised him pain should he continue talking but Zuko ignored the look.

"I wasn't at my full strength, I was exhausted after running for miles through all that rocky terrain, if you were the first person I encountered I would have beaten you without breaking a sweat"

He could see it, the woman was literally trembling with suppressed anger, part of Zuko warned him that this was dangerous territory but he refused to listen.

"I find it odd that you and your friends haven't launched a _single _attack on the city since my regiment arrived. Pity, you guys can harass a bunch of hapless of civilians but go into hiding when a real army comes in-"

"Why do we need to take on the army when we have you?"

She had snapped just as Zuko anticipated.

"What?" said Zuko. "So the attack on Sozin was just a way to get to _me_?"

The woman did not respond, instead, she walked over to Zuko and punched him right across the jaw. For a moment, the prince saw stars as he tried to stay conscious, he was pretty sure that his jaw was broken, just as the woman had intended. When he came to however, he found that he could still move his jaw, though it was still throbbing with pain.

"Know where you are prince!" roared the woman, her voice echoing throughout the gloomy dungeon. "You are not in the Imperial City where you can boss around other people, you are here at _our _mercy, the mercy of the T'ien Ti!"

_T'ien Ti! t_hought Zuko, _Are they some sort of terrorist group? _

From the look on the woman's face she had evidently revealed something that she did not intent to. Zuko couldn't help but smile as he felt a small sense of triumph for provoking the woman.

"Where am I?" he asked, looking around his dark gloomy prison, the only light was coming from a torch on the ceiling.

The woman did not respond.

"Oh, I see" said Zuko. "The silent treatment? I'm well familiar with that, it's the way this girl I know treats me"

Zuko paused as he scrutinised the woman before him.

"You know, you do look like her" he said.

"Who?"

Zuko suppressed the look of surprise, he was not expecting a response from this woman not unless he provoked her again. The prince was so caught up in surprise, that he answered on impulse.

"Mai of the House of Yang Chin"

The woman's reaction was unexpected. Before Zuko could even blink, she walked over and punched him in the gut. The prince who was on his feet with his wrists chained to the wall, doubled over with a gasp of pain. The woman punched him for a second time and he cried out, his voice echoing across the dungeon.

"Don't you dare!" she yelled. "Don't you dare compare to me those bitches in the nobility!"

Zuko didn't immediately respond, he spent the next few seconds gasping for breath, trying to wash away the pain through long, deep breaths. He looked into the woman's eyes that were practically _burning _with hatred. He needed to think carefully, he realized, or otherwise he would be too incapacitated to move. Zuko heard footsteps that grew progressively louder, indicating that someone was coming. A tall hooded figure appeared at the entrance to his prison.

"Sui" he said, his facing the woman in front of Zuko. "What's going on?"

The woman named Sui sighed, "Nothing" she said.

"Well try to keep it down" he said. "Most of us are trying to prepare"

Zuko frowned in confusion.

"Prepare for what?" he said.

Sui turned around and swung her knuckles at Zuko's forehead. The prince resisted the urge to cry out and instead glared at his attacker.

"You are planning to attack Sozin, aren't you?" he said, as his head throbbed in pain.

In a blur of motion, Sui's hand closed around Zuko's neck, though she did not tighten her hold as he expected.

"We're going to finish that pathetic regiment of yours" said Sui. "Just imagine how it will look to the Imperial City? The most prestigious and powerful regiment in the country, massacred by a group of rebels and to top things of" She paused, and a sadistic smile took form on her face. "We've got the Crown Prince in our hands. How do you think that fat man on the Dragon Throne is going to react when he find out that we've destroyed an entire regiment _and _taken his dear nephew captive?"

Anger began to boil in Zuko, Sui let go of his neck and smiled.

"See you later, prince" she said. "The next time I come I'll bring the head of your lieutenant with me"

Zuko roared in anger and tried to blow a stream of fire from his mouth. Instead nothing but a weak spit of flame spewed out. Zuko gasped in horror.

"What have you done to me?" he yelled.

Sui smirked at him. "You didn't think we would let you bend again?" she said. "Not after the stunt you pulled"

Zuko glared at the woman, unable to believe that he had been trapped in this situation. Lee was right; it _had _been a bad idea to come here all on his own. Now the Dragon Regiment was about to be attacked, and he, their leader was trapped in their clutches. Then something suddenly occurred to him.

"You think you can beat my regiment?"

Sui turned around. 'What?"

"There are three thousand men, all of them trained to be the best at what they do" said Zuko. "What makes you think that you stand a chance with just fifty men?"

Sui raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think we have_ only_ fifty men?"

Zuko insides froze with trepidation. "What?" he gasped.

"Until recently, you were in the caves, close to the surface" she said. "So it's obvious that you would only see that many people"

Zuko frowned not liking the implication behind the woman's words.

"What are you talking about?" he hissed.

"Look around you, dimwit" said Sui, gesturing to Zuko's rock like dungeon. "We are _inside_ the Dai Chi Mountains"

Zuko was temporarily stunned.

"What?" was all he was able to manage.

Sui smiled smugly. "Didn't you know that the Dai Chi Mountains was once a fortress?" she said. "A fortress with a network of corridors and countless rooms all carved _inside _the mountain. Which means that we have hundreds of men here, just waiting for the chance to unleash their wrath on the Firelord and all those who serve him. There are countless tunnels and passageways that lead outside the mountain. You realize what this means, don't you?"

Zuko knew what it meant and he did not like it one bit.

"We have a fortress that literally surrounds the city, in other words we have your regiment cornered with their backs against the ocean. Even if by some miracle your regiment comes to know about this, it will be quiet impossible to launch a siege on such a massive place"

Zuko was horrified, he now knew that this wasn't just any rebellion that involved a few discontent farmers and workers, this was a powerful faction with an army that was able to destroy cities and take on regiments.

"Why are you doing this?" he cried. "Was it because I ended the Hundred Year War?"

Sui raised an eyebrow.

"The Tien Ti is not concerned with the Hundred Year War" she said.

"Then-"

"Let's just say it's revenge, revenge for what your family has put us through, put _me _through"

Zuko was bewildered, before he could say anything else. Sui turned around and left his dungeon, leaving Zuko alone to ponder his thoughts.

* * *

They had made it out of the cold hemisphere of the South Pole and were greeted by a warm atmosphere and soothing air currents that made Katara sigh in relief. The young waterbender wasted no time in taking off her thick parka and tossing it aside. Katara loved her home, but there were times when she missed being warm and not having to constantly shiver and cuddle just to starve off the cold, she glanced around at her companions and couldn't help but smile. Sokka and Toph were fast asleep, assuming what could be the most uncomfortable positions known to man, snoring, oblivious to the world around them. Kyria was sleeping as well but unlike the others, there was a delicate grace to how she slept, she lay with her back along the saddle and was sleeping quietly without making a noise, her hands providing a pillow beneath her head. There had been a time when Katara would compare Kyria to a glass painting,stunning but fragile and should she break into a million pieces, she could never recover her former beauty.

But the warterbender had been forced to look at Kyria in a different light, something had changed about her in the past weeks. Katara didn't know whether it was because she was nearly married off to a stranger at a tender age but Kyria had discovered the determination required to leave her home.

_It had been different with me _thought Katara.

When she had left her village to rescue Aang, she felt that she was merely being helped along a predestined a path. The fourteen-year-old Katara did not consider the possibility of walking away, Aang had been kidnapped and she had gone to help him. Her only thoughts were of getting to the North Pole, learning waterbending and then help Aang end the war. She did not envision the adventures that they would have or the people that they would meet. Katara was certain that she would not have had the strength to go through half those events if it weren't for the support of strong friends and family.

_It would be different with Kyria _thought Katara.

Unlike the waterbender herself, Kyria did not have a specific purpose other than live her life and more importantly she was travelling on her own. Katara had seen enough of the world to know that they were people vile enough to take advantage of an innocent, sweet girl like Kyria. Katara was convinced that Kyria needed a companion, which was one of the reasons why they were heading towards Kyoshi. Katara was certain that Suki would be kind of enough to taker her under her wing.

_Who knows _thought Katara _She might even become a Kyoshi Warrior herself_

She briefly imagined Kyria's shocked face, her features masked by the thick makeup and the uncomfortable dress and she giggled.

"What's so funny?"

Katara turned around, Aang was the only who wasn't asleep, he was sitting in between Appa's horns, guiding the bison towards their destination. Katara smiled as she went over and sat next to him.

"I was thinking about Kyria's reaction if she ever became a Kyoshi Warrior" she said.

For some reason, it seemed a little cold on top of Appa's head as opposed to his saddle.

"Can she even make it into the Kyoshi Warriors?" said Aang.

Katara frowned at him. "What do you mean?" she said.

Aang opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again.

"Nothing" he said. "I mean it would be great if she became a Kyoshi Warrior, that's all"

Katara frowned; Aang was _clearly _going to say something else.

"Aang, what were you trying to say?"

The Avatar shrugged. "What do you mean?"

Katara almost growled in agitation. "You know _exactly _what I mean. Tell me what you're really thinking"

Aang opened his mouth but was cut off.

"And don't tell me another lie. I can tell when you're not being honest and you know how much I hate it when people lie to me"

Aang gave her a surprised look.

"Why are you getting so worked up?" he said. "I was just thinking that Kyria isn't the warrior type, that's all"

Katara sighed and turned away.

"I was thinking the same" she said, glancing back at her friend.

"But then again" said Aang, and Katara turned back to him.

"Toph doesn't seem to be the gentle type. But she can be really gentle when she wants to be, she just chooses to hide it"

Katara nodded, knowing that side of Toph but hardly ever seeing it. Silence fell between the two of them, and Katara was strongly reminded of the time when they had reunited and struggled to come up with things to say. She was not sure if she could trust her mouth this time around.

_Last time it was Bumi, this time it might be Long Feng._

"Hey, Katara" said Aang. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure" said the waterbender, relived that they wouldn't be any awkward silences.

"Why were so eager to go to the Fire Nation?" said Aang. "Was it because of Zuko?"

Katara opened her mouth in surprise.

"I-"

For a moment she looked like a stupefied fish.

"Zuko is our friend" said Katara. "If Iroh says he's in danger then we have to go help him, right?"

Aang gave her a look before nodding in agreement.

"Yeah I guess" he said, though his heart was not in it.

Katara frowned in wonder. "Why do you ask?" she said.

Aang shook his head.

"It's nothing"

Katara frowned, Aang never asked something like that unless he had a good reason.

"Aang, what is it?"

"Nothing, Katara, can we just drop it?"

Aang was in a testy mood, Katara thought it best not to anger him any further, though it didn't change the fact that she wasn't hurt.

"Okay" she said quietly.

They spent the next few minutes in an awkward silence, Aang gazed on ahead him, the expression on his face indicated that his mind was clearly somewhere else. Katara was at a loss as to why he would ask such a question. Aang had never questioned her actions before, so why now? As if in response to her question, Aang spoke up.

"I just find it interesting" said Aang. "That all it took was a letter to take you back to Zuko, while all it took a letter to make you leave me"

Katara could only stare open mouthed as the Avatar continued to look ahead, not once making eye contact with his girlfriend.

* * *

Darkness had fallen upon the Imperial City, ivory towers stood tall and intimidating, looming over the people in the darkness. Despite the lateness of the night, the streets were busy as ever, with people pushing past each other to attend to their business. Minister Jeong Jeong did not like looking upon the city when it was in such a chaotic state, he preferred the early morning hours when the sun was rising and the streets were empty and quiet.

With a growl of frustration, Jeong Jeong turned away from the window and turned back to his desk. Piles upon piles of documents lined his desk, he had half a mind to just burn them all, march into the Firelord's office and tell him that he was done. Jeong Jeong sighed and shook his head, his mane of white hair gleaming in the semi darkness of the room. The former general knew that he would never do such a thing, Jeong Jeong maybe known as a harsh and cold man, but he would never abandon a friend in need, and Iroh certainly needed all the friends he could get. With a sigh of reluctance, Jeong Jeong picked up a document and began to read it while standing. It was a report from the lieutenant of the Dragon Regiment and it carried disturbing news. Two regiments that were supposed to have arrived and assist in the protection of Sozin were no aware to be found, as if to make matters worse, the city of Sozin had already been attacked and reduced to nothing more than rubble.

Jeong Jeong had decided to make an impromptu visit to the military barracks tomorrow and demand an explanation. Looking at the report, Jeong Jeong could feel it, the gut feeling that told him that something bad was going to happen, the feeling had served him well in the front, and he could tell that the Fire Nation was on the verge of chaos. The minister suspected that somebody had tampered with communications, but if that was the case, how could he know that the report from the lieutenant was genuine?

As if to reassure himself, Jeong Jeong's eye flickered onto the seal on his desk. It was a small, circular object that could only be removed by a small device lying on his desk. Jeong Jeong would be able to tell if the letter had been tampered with.

Looking at the letter, Jeong Jeong could tell that it was genuine. The former deserter stroked his moustache as he planned out his next plan of attack. All would depend on the situation in Sozin. Jeong Jeong sighed as he massaged his temples, constant thinking and concentration was wearing him out. Jeong Jeong folded the document and placed it in a drawer on his desk, he then made his way towards the thick door and left the room.

The cool night air was exactly what Jeong Jeong needed to calm his mind; the minister could already feel the cogs in his brain slowing down with each breath of fresh air he took. He purposefully avoided the main streets of the city, preferring the smaller but quieter routes instead. Despite leaving the office behind, the former general could not leave his problems behind. At times like these, when he was on the verge of crisis he couldn't get out of, Jeong Jeong couldn't help but curse his disposition. There was a time when he would have relished such a situation; the Jeong Jeong that most soldiers admired was an ambitious tactician who was able to convert the direst of situations into his grandest moments of glory. For a moment, Jeong Jeong's mind wondered down memory lane, as he contemplated the past. He had been the general of the 58th Division, a man who, give or take a few years, would have been part of Azulon's War Council. But the regime changed, and with Ozai's succession, the army was given permission to be more ruthless to the citizens. Atrocity piled upon atrocity, and Jeong Jeong could clearly remember the day he had realized that he had lost his men to the madness of war.

Jeong Jeong stopped walking and looked around, he was on a dark, narrow street that was deathly quiet, _too _quiet. Jeong Jeong's gut feeling told him that something was not right. The firebending master took a deep breath, feeling the power of his bending flowing through his veins. His amber eyes flicked side ways as he observed his terrain.

A rustle of clothes was all the warning he had when a flash of sliver flew towards his throat. Jeong Jeong ducked and swung his fist in the direction the knife came from. He heard a distinct grunt of pain as he connected with something hard. He suddenly felt a sharp pain on his left shoulder and he cried out in surprise He turned around and hit the second person in the face. Panting hard, Jeong Jeong spun on his heels looking around, he could hardly see ahead of him.

_This won't do _he thought to himself.

He summoned the power to his hands. His surroundings sprang to life, as the orange flames lit the dark world around him. The fire created a wide perimeter around him, and Jeong Jeong was finally able to see two people clothed in dark clothes and the dull mask that covered their faces. He didn't need to see the swords in their hands to know that they were assassins. Jeong Jeong smirked as he observed his opponents.

"That's it?"

* * *

A/N: _I would really appreciate reviews. I know that Jeong Jeong's POV was a bit random but this was the only way that I could get over the black on this chapter. Plus the idea of an assassination attempt on Jeong Jeong had been on my mind for a quiet a while. _


	14. Windows To The Past

_A/N: I want to thank Cb3bx, doctor anthony, Rohain Tahquil, nephertiri, Larissa, a513y 101, J for their reviews. They've been awesome, and I hope this chapter inspires you to write MORE awesome reviews. By the way, I did a tally, and noticed that the previous chapter got the highest reviews per chapter! Wohoo!!! Story is growing popularity!!! (at least I hope it is) Anyway, here's chapter 13 _

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_**Chapter 13 – Windows To the Past **_

Aang was hit with a sense of déjà vu as he landed Appa on Kyoshi Island, a small crowd could already be seen approaching them, this time, instead of standing up to greet them, Aang held on to Appa's reins ready to pull out if the crowd got too raucous. Fortunately, Suki and the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors were on the move, running towards the large white bison at a pace that outmatched the civilians. By the time the gang had descended from the bison, the warriors had already surrounded them with Suki at the lead. Aang glanced around at the eager crowd before turning to Suki.

"Thanks for reacting so quickly, Suki" he said.

A sly smile crossed her lips.

"You need to give us a warning before you drop in" she said.

"We'd use Momo, but he's easily distracted"

"SUKI!"

Suki's face split into a huge grin as she saw who it was.

"KATARA!"

Aang gasped in pain as he was literally elbowed out of the way by Katara, who ran and embraced the Warrior. Aang dusted himself off, muttering darkly as he did so. The talk he had with Katara was fresh in his mind, just thinking about it made him grouchy.

_Stupid Zuko _he cursed.

"Jeez, what's with you? I can feel storm clouds gathering over your head, and I can't even _see _clouds"

Aang sighed and rubbed his temple. "Not now, Toph" he said. "I have a lot on my mind"

"If it's the conversation you and Katara had the other day, I can see why"

Aang yelped in surprise as he turned around.

"You were listening?" he said, half raising his voice.

Toph grinned in a mischievous manner that was both roughish and charming, there was a time when Aang actually found the grin rather cute but he was just too irritated with her at the moment, to care.

"Hell yeah! You obviously don't know me if you think I'm gonna miss out on a scandalous conversation like that!"

Aang was so speechless that he could only stare.

"There wasn't anything scandalous about that conversation!" he said, loudly.

"Maybe not" said Toph. "But it had scandal _written _all over it"

Aang raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Toph raised an eyebrow. "You really don't know, do you?" she said.

Aang shook her head.

Toph sighed. "It's really not a surprise" she said, more to herself than Aang. "You were too busy running around the palace while they were going at it"

Aang narrowed his eyes. "What are you-"

"Aang"

The Avatar turned around to see Suki looking at him, her cheerful demeanour had somewhat diminished.

"The others are going to have some lunch. You want to join us?"

Aang sighed and rubbed his temple, yes he would like to have some lunch, but he needed to get something of his chest.

"Leave some food ready for me, Suki" he said. "But I need to go to Kyoshi's shrine for a few minutes" Suki nodded. "Sounds good" Without saying a word to anyone else, Aang unfurled his air glider and took off in the direction of Avatar Kyoshi's shrine, ignoring the woeful looks of a certain waterbender.

* * *

The sounds of steel being sharpened grated on his ears as it echoed across the cave. Zuko grimaced as Sui smirked, deliberately drawing the sharpening stone across the surface of her broadsword in long, slow strokes to torture her prisoner, the prince resisted the urge to grimace, knowing that his captor got some sort of twisted enjoyment from torturing him this way. Zuko also knew that beneath the torturing was a subtle message, it was the woman's way telling him that they were preparing to attack his regiment. Zuko needed a distraction, or rather; he needed to distract her from sharpening her sword.

"What I don't understand" he said. "Is what you said to me the other day"

His words did the trick; Sui stopped what she was doing and glared at him with the same ferocity as a jaguar-bear.

"What" she snapped.

"According to you, The Tien'Ti hate me because what I did to them" said Zuko. "But what have I done wrong? As far as I know, the only unpopular thing I did was end the Hundred Year War"

"I told you" interrupted Sui. "The Tien'Ti has no interest in the Hundred Year War"

"Then why do this?" said Zuko, his voice growing louder. "Why attack the people of Sozin? Why destroy their homes and terrorize them? And why you are so intent on destroying me and my regiment?"

Sui sighed, as if Zuko was nothing more than an infant throwing a tantrum.

"I have no reason to tell you the history between the Tien'Ti and your ancestors" she said.

_History? _thought Zuko.

"Yes" said Sui. "All I can say is that I have no sympathy for those who serve you and your fat uncle"

Zuko ignored the jest at his uncle as he glared at the woman.

"There's no need to make people suffer" he hissed. "You've got me, I'm your prisoner, let it be the end of that"

Sui raised an eyebrow. "Catching you is only half of it" she said.

Zuko waited for her to continue but was only greeted with silence. The prince gritted his teeth, this woman was dressed in ordinary brown clothes, and she could have easily blended in with the ragtag crowd of Sozin.

"How can you do this?" he hissed. "How can you just standby and watch people suffer?"

Sui glared at the prince with eyes that glowered in the darkness.

"Because I too have suffered," she said. "Suffered because of your insane father!"

The prince was stunned out of all the possible reasons this woman could hate him, Zuko had never considered the possibility that a grudge against his father could be the reason. For a moment, Zuko was shocked but the shock quickly gave way to a mellow feeling that one would akin to understanding, Zuko had experienced firsthand how cruel his father could be, it came as no surprise that Ozai was cruel to others. The prince chose to say nothing for he was at a loss of words. Zuko was promptly startled when she spoke again.

"My father was a captain in the navy" said Sui. "He was a good man who rose to the rank because of his sense of propriety and honour"

Zuko couldn't help but listen in surprise, Sui had transformed into a completely different person, gone was the fierce captor he had known all this time, instead, a more gentle, softer woman had replaced the angry warrior, her voice laced with affection as she spoke.

"His subordinates thought highly of him because he was good to all those who served him, but the admirals and commanders… well that was a different story"

"How so?" asked Zuko, he was now interested in this story.

"They didn't like him because he was a good person" she said. "Apparently, he lacked what it took to be a man of the navy. So one day, Ozai decided to test him"

Zuko felt a chill sliver through his spine, his father _loved_ to devise tests laced with cruelty.

"One day, my father was brought before Ozai" continued Sui, her eyes glassy with memory. "And was issued a challenge. Kill his commander and he will get the position"

Zuko resisted the urge to sigh, he could already tell what had happened.

"My father refused to do that, because it was a commander he served under and respected. Ozai declared that he didn't have what it took to serve under him and had him executed"

Sui's fists curled in anger as she recalled that horrifying day.

"He didn't have a chance to defend himself, he couldn't even protest, the Imperial Firebenders struck him down without mercy, and that wasn't the worst of it"

She paused and Zuko waited, though he dreaded what she would say.

"Ozai ordered our house to be raided, _everything _was burnt to the ground while me and my mother were thrown to the streets"

Sui closed her eyes; Zuko could see tears seeping through the tightly shut eyelids.

"In one day I lost _everything _my father, my pride, my house… me and my mother had to struggle for so long"

Sui opened her tear stricken eyes and glared at the prince.

"I will never forget how much me and my mother suffered" she hissed. "And I will _never _forgive you and your accursed family"

With those harsh words, Sui got to her feet and left the dungeon, leaving the prince alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Whenever Katara thought about returning to Kyoshi Island she would always picture a trip filled with fun fare and laughter and perhaps, trying to avoid Sokka and Suki whenever possible. What she did not expect was a moody and depressed Sokka, a visibly hurt Suki, an unusually silent Toph and Aang who kept himself shut in Avatar Kyoshi's shrine. Katara could not understand what had happened to cause everyone's change in behaviour, most of all Aang's. Ever since their brief discussion that night, the two of them had hardly spoken because the Avatar had been uncharacteristically silent and distant. Katara never thought that she would miss the Aang who would follow her around like a lost puppy, but at the moment she preferred lost puppy Aang to this moody manifestation currently locked up in the Shrine.

"In any case" murmured Katara, as she approached the cluster of trees where Appa was. "We won't be staying here for long"

Katara only hoped that whatever was going on in the Fire Nation would be enough to snap the gang out of their unusual state. They would be spending the night on the island to give Appa time to rest. It would take them just five days to reach the Fire Nation if Appa flew without stopping, Katara didn't like the idea of forcing Appa to fly over such a long period of time without a break but unless they could find some small islands where he could rest they had no choice.

Which was why Katara was carrying a large sack of hay for her large, furry friend.

The waterbender let out a frustrated grunt as the sack slipped from her fingers for the umpteenth time as she clambered up hill to reach her destination.

"Hey there, Sugar Queen"

Toph was lying on the ground with her arms around her head, one leg propped on her knee while the other was crossed over in a relaxed posture, she was chewing on a grass stalk effecting the way she enunciated her words. Two years ago, Katara would have reprimanded Toph for not being more helpful, but she had come to realize that Toph would be Toph and _no one _could change that.

"Wanna lie down? You could use a break. I could hear you grunting and swearing down there"

Katara huffed as she dropped the sack and went to join Toph.

"I was not grunting and swearing" she said, as she sat down next to Toph.

"What are you carrying? Sounds pretty heavy"

"Hay, for Appa"

Toph opened one pale eye. "You're kidding me right? You were grunting and swearing all the way up the hill… over a pile of hay?"

"You clearly haven't carried a huge pile clumped together" snapped Katara. "Besides the sack was not made for carrying, it kept slipping through my fingers"

"Why don't you just get Aang to give it to Appa? He can certainly airbend that huge pile uphill"

Katara did not want to talk about Aang at the moment, so she changed the topic.

"What are you doing lying down here?"

Toph gave a knowing smile, as if she knew what Katara was trying to do.

"Communing with nature," she said. "Since we'll be up in the air for a while, I thought I might spend these few hours communicating with the earth" Katara smiled to herself.

"The way you talk about earth" murmured Katara. "You might as well just go ahead and admit that you're in love"

Toph shook her head. "Sweetness, we all know that snide remarks aren't your forte, leave the sarcastic comments to me and speaking of love"

She continued. "Looking forward to seeing your old boyfriend again?"

For a moment, Katara was not aware of the question and responded on impulse.

"Of course I'm looking forward to seeing-"

She trailed off uncomfortably as the full implication of the question just hit her.

"Looking forward to seeing who?" said Toph, in a deceivingly innocent manner.

"I don't know who you're talking about" said Katara, hastily. "I don't _have_ an ex-boyfriend, unless you're implying that me and Aang have broken up which we haven't"

"Sweetness, cut the crap I know you and Zuko used to get down and dirty after the war ended"

Katara froze, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"Hmm" said Toph, placing a hand on the ground, "I can feel your heartbeat increasing, so it _is _true"

"How-how did you know?"

"Puhllease!, I could feel your vibrations all over the palace, I was surprised that you guys didn't bring the place down"

Katara paused as she contemplated her words, trying her best to process the fact that her relationship with Zuko was not as a clandestine as she once thought it was.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised" she murmured after a while.

"Damn right you shouldn't be" said Toph. "It would be an insult to my prodigious skills"

Katara suddenly burst into a fit of giggles.

"What?" said Toph, surprised by this change in attitude.

"I never thought that you would use such big words, Toph" she teased.

"Big words for _you_" bit back Toph. "Anyway, you've got to give me the dirt"

Katara turned to her with a frown on her face.

"What dirt?"

"The dirt on you and Zuko" said Toph. "One minute you're shagging Mr. Hotpants the next you're with airhead. What happened?"

"I was _not _shagging anyone, and his name is Zuko _not _Mr. Hotpants" hissed Katara, angrily. "And it's well… complicated"

"Spill, we've got all the time in the world" said Toph. "And I see that you didn't defend Aang when I called him an airhead…_interesting_"

"Aang is not an airhead" said Katara, recalling the last few words he had said. "And besides, whatever was between me and Zuko is over"

"Why? Did he dump you?"

"Yes, I mean no, I mean"

Katara sighed and fell back on to the ground.

"It's messed up"

"You don't say" said Toph. "Go back to the beginning, to the very start"

Katara sighed as she allowed her mind to drift down memory lane.

"It was during Sozin's Comet, you went with Sokka and Suki to stop the air fleet while me and Zuko went to the Imperial City to make sure that Azula didn't take the crown in their father's absence. We arrived in the nick of time, Azula was just _seconds _away from being crowned the new Fire Lord. Zuko and I challenged her, she knew she couldn't take us both so she challenged Zuko to an Agni Kai"

"What difference does that make?" said Toph.

"It means the fight was to be a one-on-one duel" explained Katara. "In other words, Zuko would have to fight Azula alone"

"And he accepted the challenge?" said Toph, surprised. "No wonder he got toasted"

"It wasn't like that" said Katara, little angry. "Azula issued a challenge because she knew she couldn't beat both of us, but Zuko accepted the challenge because he knew could beat her"

"How so?"

"Apparently, she was losing her mind, I didn't see any difference but Zuko said that she was 'slipping' when the fight began, I didn't know what to feel"

"What do you mean?"

"I was feeling so many different things at the same time. I was itching to help Zuko but I was also glad to be in the sidelines because all that fire was so intimidating, I thought he was incredibly stupid to be fighting such a powerful bender alone, the fate of the world was in his hands just as much as it was in Aang's but I was also happy to see him fighting on equal footing with that witch"

"Wow" said Toph. "Sounds like the climax of an epic tale of sibling hatred, all we needed was Zuko's uncle to strike up a few tunes on sunghi horn and everything would have been perfect"

"_Anyway_" said Katara. "Zuko was clearly at an advantage, and that was when Azula decided to resort to her lightening, _that_ was when things went wrong"

"Why?" said Toph. "I thought Hotpants could redirect lightening"

"Well, he could, but I couldn't"

Toph's eyes snapped open as the implication of Katara's words dawned on her.

"No way..." she whispered.

"Yes, she threw the lightening at me, Zuko came in the way to protect me but he wasn't quick enough to redirect the lightening and it hit him in the chest, and…."

Katara's voice faded as she contemplated the past, Toph opened an eye as the silence grew.

"And?"

"Have you ever been in a situation where you realize how you truly feel about someone, only after they are in a life and death situation?"

Toph gave a nonchalant shrug.

"When I saw Zuko on the ground dying because of what he had done… it was like my heart was being wrenched out of my chest, nobody had ever made such a huge sacrifice for me, it shook me to my core and moved me to my soul I could have cried if Azula weren't there"

Toph remained silent, it was a mark of just how fascinated by Katara's words.

"But I was also angry at him, mad because he shouldn't have done that, furious because I'm not worth the life of _anyone_ especially Zuko's, when I came to him he was barely breathing, had I been even a second late he would have died, and that just made me even more angry cause I could have lost him… it was at that moment did I realize how I truly felt about him"

"I'll say" whispered Toph. "It's not every day somebody sacrifices themselves so that you could be safe"

"We kissed under the comet and it was well… magical, there's no other word to describe it. Nothing on earth could have prepared me for what I felt when he kissed me, he had just recovered from death, we had just defeated the craziest witch of the century and we were drunk on adrenaline all these things just made our kiss more intense"

"Yeah, I'll bet" said Toph.

"We spent the months that followed with each other. It was before Zuko renounced the throne and he had a lot of work to do but whatever free time he had we spent it together. Sometimes we would just go the crater of the dead volcano and stare down at the Imperial City, it felt so good staying in his warm embrace, we didn't talk much but we didn't have to, it was like we were communicating without speaking, other times we would do something fun like go ice surfing or he would show me firebending moves or I would show him some waterbending moves or we would just laugh run around like a bunch of kids"

Katara sighed and looked up at the sky with a downcast expression.

"It was just one of those moments where he wasn't the Firelord to lead his country into a new era, and I wasn't the waterbender who helped the Avatar bring world peace. We were just too ordinary teenagers having a good time in each other's company" Katara sighed wistfully, "I was so happy"

"So why'd you guys break up?"

"Things were hard on Zuko, he needed to consolidate his position because the nobles were hesitant in supporting a sixteen-year-old who had ended a hundred year tradition and spending time with a Water Tribe girl wasn't the way to do it, he told me about a conversation that he once had with his advisors, who floated the idea of a marrying one of their daughters to consolidate his bond"

"Mai…" whispered Toph.

"Well I guess she would have been the logical choice. Zuko kept telling me how difficult it was at meetings and stuff, he felt like he was fighting a one man battle, I told him to call Uncle Iroh to help him out"

"So _that's _why he renounced the throne!" cried Toph. "I always wondered why he did that, now I know it's because of _you_"

"I didn't tell him to give the throne to Uncle Iroh" said Katara, defensively. "I just said get someone who he knows he can trust and who was experienced when it came to dealing with politics"

"Yeah, but you planted the idea in his head" smirked Toph. "He's making huge, country-changing decisions because of _you_. Looks like you were more than Mr. Hotpant's side dish"

Katara simply ignored the comment; she was not in a mood to rise to Toph's bait.

"Zuko started dropping all these hints that he wanted to end it, he kept telling me how difficult it was for him, he said that he may not have time to meet me and in any case, seeing me too frequently wouldn't help him stabilise his position, so the day we went to visit Iroh in Ba Sing Se, you remember that day?"

"Yeah, two years ago, it was just before we split up"

"On that day I took him aside and told him that it simply wasn't working and that we're too different to ever make this work into something worthwhile"

"So that's it?"

"That's it"

"What did he say?"

"Nothing, he just nodded and walked away without saying a word" Katara paused. "That angered me more than it should have, because he should have said _something_, it was as if really didn't care or it was something he was expecting to happen, like he wasn't surprised that we broke up. That just confirmed the notion in my mind that he _wanted _to break up but didn't have the courage to say anything"

"How do you know that he really wanted to break up?"

Katara looked at Toph surprised.

"I told you, it was in the hints he gave me and besides even while we were together we sort of knew that this won't last"

"Maybe you just misinterpreted these hints" said Toph, casually. "Sparky is not the type to beat around the bush, if he wanted to end it, he would have said something, you should know this better anyone else"

"But-"

"Listen Sweetness, and take it from someone who has no vested interest in this dilemma of yours "

Katara failed to notice the faint brush that creased Toph's pale cheeks.

"I think you're making a big mistake, leading Aang on and denying your feelings for Zuko"

"I don't have feelings for Zuko"

"Yeah, and that's why your heartbeat isn't going faster than a lion-cheetah"

Katara sighed in defeat.

"It was just hard on me" she said. "He kept raving on about the possibility of an arranged marriage when I didn't even want to even consider the possibility of him being someone else. What was I suppose to do Toph? Just say_ 'Hey that sounds like a good idea, why don't you get married and I'll be your mistress'_"

Katara couldn't believe that she was asking for advice from a fourteen year old with no prior experience in such matters, but Toph was the only person Katara would trust with such information.

"I'm not defending Hotpants either" said Toph. "I'm saying that you guys are both stupid for acting on vague clues and not solving each other's problems"

Katara knew that Toph had a point, she was wrong for not having the proper talk with Zuko but she also knew that the prince had done wrong as well.

"One thing is for sure" said Toph, getting to her feet and stretching. "You'll have to sort out what's in your head and fast. We'll be dealing with some pretty dangerous stuff in the Fire Nation, the last thing we need is Aang and Zuko fighting over you"

* * *

Zac Fou stayed where he was glaring at the brown skinned lieutenant who had the nerve to interfere in local affairs. The old man was angered at how the Dragon Regiment had come out of nowhere and disrupted their gradual progress into rebuilding. It would have been difficult to rebuild with whoever attacked them lurking in the environment but now the military had come and made the situation even worse, they had come without any relief units nor supplies meaning that whoever was in charge now had to feed the people _and _the military.

Zac Fou's glare did not waver as the Lieutenant sipped from his cup of warm water (which was the best substitute for tea) It was Lee who opened the potentially awkward conversation.

"You know why I asked you to come?" he said.

Zac Fou glanced around the lieutenant's tent with disdain before replying.

"I have an idea"

Lee sighed and massaged his temple with his fore finger, Zac Fou couldn't help but smirk at this subtle sign of agitation.

"Zac Fou, I have asked you here to request your corporation" said Lee. "Both of us are in a difficult situation, and this attitude of yours will only serve to exacerbate our problems"

Zac Fou feigned an ignorant look. "Attitude? Whatever do you mean?"

Lee closed his eyes for a few minutes and took a few deep breaths. When he opened his eyes Zac Fou could see a look of pure anger in Lee's eyes. The old man was suddenly hit with a strong sense of déjà vu as he recalled who had last given him that same look. A feeling of shock coursed through him like lightening.

_No! _He thought to himself. _Impossible, unless…_

He pretended to listen to Lee's words, as he carefully scrutinised the man's features.

"We cannot get the cooperation of the people without your consent and we _need _their help for what is to come…"

"Yes, yes" he murmured, vaguely.

Zac Fou's cold grey eyes lingered over Lee's nose, jaw and chin.

_Yes _he thought to himself. _The resemblance is undeniable. How I've never noticed until now_

Lee' was taken aback by the intense scrutiny.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he said.

Zac Fou snapped out his trance and did the most unexpected thing. He smiled. Lee was startled at the abrupt show of teeth, which he noticed was yellowing.

"A Lieutenant" said Zac Fou, stroking his grey beard while staring at Lee with a contemplative look. "That's a very impressive rank for one as young as you. Tell me how you are able to attain such a position?"

Lee was surprised not by the question, but by the tone that accompanied it, the old man's manner had abruptly changed from hostile to friendly. Lee was unnerved by this abrupt change but realized that cheerful demeanour was the opening he needed to get on Zac Fou's good side.

"Like everyone else" he replied. "I applied for the post"

"And the Crown Prince just gave you the job?"

Lee frowned in suspicion. "No, it was the Firelord"

Zac Fou raised an eyebrow. "The Firlord hired you?"

_Did Iroh know about Xiu Lee? _

Lee opened his mouth to ask a question when suddenly a large blow horn echoed through the air. People's cries of shock and fear were muffled by the oppressive sound that drilled into their eardrums, Zac Fou reacted quickly, by covering his ears but he could still feel it vibrating when the sound passed. Zac Fou glared at Lieutenant.

"What is the meaning of this?" he snapped. "Scaring the people out of their wits?"

"Sorry" said Lee, as if nothing had happened.

"Sorry, my foot!" snarled Zac Fou. "What was that horrible sound? It sounded like a ship"

Lee carefully sipped his cup of warm water before replying.

"Good guess, old man. It _is _a ship. A military ship to be more precise"

Zac Fou's jaw fell open. "What?"

"A military ship" said Lee. "You know, those large grey ships that-"

"I _know _what a military ship is, boy" snapped Zac Fou. "What is it doing here?"

Lee raised an eyebrow as if to say. 'You did not just ask that question'

"That ship" said Lee. "Is carrying our salvation"

Zac Fou narrowed his lieutenant sighed and got to his feet.

"I have a lot of work to do, Zac Fou" said Lee, he held the tent flap open and gestured to the old man.

"If you please" Zac Fou sighed before getting to his feet, he stretched his old limbs before making his way towards the exit.

The old man was hit with a breath of fresh air as he stepped outside and surveyed the ocean, he could see a large grey ship approaching the bay, the ship seemed to loom over them as it got closer, churning thick smoke from it's chimney.

"I must go to the ship" said Lee, standing next to him.

"I must go to the people" said Zac Fou. "They will be in a state of panic as the ship approaches"

An awkward pause followed before Zac Fou made his decision.

"From now on, you and the military will have full cooperation of the people"

Lee looked at him in surprise before nodding.

"That's good" he said. "I'm glad"

With those words, the lieutenant turned around and made his way towards the bay. Zac Fou stood as he was, his grey hair fluttering in the wind, as he stared after the young lieutenant.

"I never thought" he murmured, softly. "That after all these years you would still be alive"

* * *

_A/N: Please review, thanks! _


	15. More Questions But No Answers

_A/N: Hi everybody!!! First off, I want to give a shout out to Black-Alice-Stars, darkladybones, asha_._blitezgeschwind_, _FortheSakeofSanitiy, a5h13y 101, Cb23x, Rohain Tahquil, Demac, J, and doctor anthony for all their awesome reviews for the last chapter. I know that I haven't updated in a while, that's because I was abroad for a month and I was too busy to update. I also ran into a block when it came to Chapters 14 and 15, this is the second draft and fairly happy with it and I hope you guys will be as well!!!  
_

* * *

**_Chapter 14 - More Questions But No Answers _**

Katara was greeted with the flipping of fans and the clash of wooden sticks as she entered the Kyoshi Training Building. The building was one of the few places that remained unchanged since the end of the war save the large ground squared off by a wooden fence, the humble little hut was still isolated from the rest of the settlement . Katara found the silent atmosphere peaceful, though punctured occasionally by the cries of women as they trained. Katara entered the hut and looked around, several girls in green Kyoshi outfits immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to look at her. Katara grinned, finding the sudden attention rather discomforting.

"Uh…"

Katara couldn't distinguish one from the other, the face paint and green dresses sealed away any distinctive features about the girls, how they were able to fight with these clothes she had no idea, she was also unable to tell one from the other and for the first time in her life, she envied Sokka. Before she could even utter a word, her arms were full of a certain girl in her green dress.

"Katara! What a _wonderful _surprise!"

"There's no way that could be a surprise, Ty Lee, she's been here for over three days!"

Katara resisted the urge to sigh in resignation, Ty Lee was the last person she wanted to see at the moment. Acting as if they had been lifelong friends Ty Lee released her death grip on Katara's back and grabbed her shoulders.

"How are _you_?" she practically yelled into the waterbender's ear. "Wow, Katara, you've gotten prettier!"

Katara mutely nodded, it had not escaped her attention that she had developed in certain places, she was still having trouble handling the unexpected attention she received.

"Uh.."

"How's that cute brother of yours, by the way? Or rather-" She gave the waterbender a suggestive wink. "_Where_ is he?"

"Umm… I'm not sure"

Sokka was probably pigging away at a ramen stall but Katara would rather be mauled to death than have Ty Lee as a sister-in-law. Ty Lee, however, didn't seem to have picked up on the subtle hint.

"Hmm… I'll go see him later"

Katara sighed and massaged her temple. "I'm looking for Kyria, I heard that she was here?"

Ty Lee pulled out a distinctive blank face.

"Who?"

"Honestly Ty Lee, she's the latest recruit!"

A look of comprehension dawned on Ty Lee's face.

"Ohh, that new Water Tribe girl who is so pretty!"

"Yeah" said Katara, thinking that Ty Lee was right about something for once. "Do you know where she is?"

"She's at the back with Suki"

Katara nodded and left the building only to walk around towards the small training ground that they had.

When Katara reached the fence, she could see two women facing each other, one was resting on her knees panting hard while the other turned to greet the newcomer. Suki looked up and smiled as Katara approached them but the waterbender chose to keep her distance so that she did not disrupt the training. Suki nodded towards Kyria.

"Take a break" she said. "You earned it"

Kyria didn't waste any time, with a wave of acknowledgement towards Katara, she ran inside the building to get refreshed. Suki made her way towards the edge of the padlock and hoped onto the fence, next to Katara. The waterbender smiled at her friend before speaking.

"How is she?" Suki shrugged in response. "She's not the most talented but she's hard working and determined"

Katara nodded, she could understand why Kyria would want to master a fighting style.

"She's been through a lot" she said.

Suki nodded. "Kyria told me about her parents wanting to arrange a marriage for her, she said it was like a nightmare"

Katara merely nodded. "She is also said that you were a great help"

Katara shrugged in response.

"I don't know" she said. "I only did what I could"

Suki smiled and playfully punched Katara on the arm.

"You're too modest, just like your brother"

The unexpected mention of Sokka put both young women on alert, neither one of them were eager to talk about the moody warrior at the moment. Katara did not know why her brother had been so grumpy ever since he came to Kyoshi Island and was afraid that Suki would ask questions. Suki on the other hand was just as afraid of Katara's answers but part of her needed to know what Katara had to say, regardless of whether she liked it or not. Suki took a deep breath.

"Do you know-"

"No" said Katara, at once. "I mean- he wasn't like this when we were home"

"Home? You don't think he…" Suki trailed off, unable to bring herself to complete the words.

"Don't think he's what?" said Katara, feeling slightly confused.

"You know, seeing someone else?"

Katara jumped in surprise.

"What makes you think that?"

Suki shrugged.

"We haven't had a real conversation since he came" she said. "Which is sad because I was looking forward to seeing him again, but…"

Katara could literally _feel _the disappointment in Suki's voice.

_Sokka, you're such an imbecile _thought Katara, angrily.

"He's not seeing anyone, Suki" said Katara, with a touch of resolution in her voice. "I know"

"Really?" said Suki, her voice laced with hope.

Katara nodded.

"Our tribe maybe growing but it's still fairly small and we don't have a thing called privacy, if word got out that the Chieftain's son was seeing a girl, the whole tribe will know about it"

Suki nodded, though her large blue eyes still held a level of doubt.

"I want to believe that but.."

"But what?"

"We haven't seen each for so long" said Suki, speaking to herself more than to Katara. "It's been almost a year since we last saw each other, two months since we last wrote. I'm just afraid that he's lost interest"

"Have you?" Suki's blue eyes flew up to meet Katara's.

"What?"

"Have you lost interest?" persisted Katara.

The waterbende mentally cursed herself for asking such an inconsiderate question, she wouldn't be surprised if Suki punched her in the face. To her surprise, Suki looked down at her knees, Katara suddenly dreaded her answer, she couldn't quite explain it but her instincts told her that she may not like Suki's next words.

"When Sokka and I first parted, it hurt, I missed him so much but I knew that he wanted to rebuild his home and I had duties as the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. We wrote to each other constantly, I used to wake up each day with the thought of receiving his letter and I spent most of my days wondering what I would write to him, I even daydreamed about seeing him again. He was always on my mind. But while I was busy preparing Kyoshi for the Peace Summit I met and worked with a lot of interesting people. People I had never met before, new faces, fresh personalities, it was exactly what I needed to get me out of my love struck mood. It was such a _relief _that I didn't want to get my head in the clouds again and just _live _a little"

Katara frowned at those words, she didn't like what Suki was implying.

"What do you mean by live a little?"

"I…"

Suki hung her head, and Katara could tell that whatever it was, Suki was not proud of it.

"I… sort of dated other guys"

"What!" yelped Katara.

Suki merely shook her head.

"You went behind my brother's back?"

"It's just… when you're thinking about the same guy for such a long time you tend to think that you're missing out" said Suki. "So I just went out with a few guys, nothing special, just a cup of tea, maybe a small dinner"

An awkward pause followed these words, as both girls fell into their own reverie. Katara knew that it would be difficult on Sokka and Suki, it was hard to remain totally committed to someone who lived so far away, especially when you were as busy as they were, but Katara had never thought that Suki would have been the one to stray and for Sokka to end up heartbroken, truth be told, she always thought that Sokka was more likely to stray.

"Does Sokka know about this?" asked Katara.

"No" said Suki. "But my attempt to _live a little _brought me back to square one"

Katara took a deep breath and sighed, she knew exactly how Suki felt, it was intimidating to be so completely in love with someone, it was how she felt about Zuko at the time, the feeling both terrified and thrilled her at the same time. But she would never want to dissuade herself from that feeling by going out with someone else, especially if they were less compatible for her. For Katara, there was a magic when it came to love, not just romantic love but all kinds of love, it could conjure a power far greater than any bender could muster, it could inspire the best in humanity, what else could have motivated Yue to sacrifice herself for her tribe? What else could have motivated Aang to confront the Firelord? Katara shook her head, trying her best to shake of the image of Zuko from her mind.

"I think you should tell him" she said. "I don't exactly know why he's acting like this, but you should tell him everything now"

"Now?"

"Yes, we'll be leaving for the Fire Nation tomorrow, I don't know if you'll get to see each other again and he deserves a few answers"

Suki nodded and hopped off the fence.

"It's noon" she said, glancing at the setting sun. "There are only two places he could be"

"And only one thing he could be doing" added Katara, both girls laughed.

When the laughter died down, Suki decided that it was her turn to interrogate Katara.

"So what about you?" she said. "Looking forward to seeing your old boyfriend again?"

Katara gasped in surprise. "How did you-"

She couldn't complete that sentence, as Kyria came out of the building.

"Later" said Suki, casually; she gave her a small wave.

Katara smiled and waved before turning towards an approaching Kyria.

Suki turned towards her latest recruit.

"You did good today" she said. "Keep up the good work"

Kyria smiled and nodded, too surprised to speak. Katara couldn't help but smile at this exchange. Suki may have a few faults, but she was a compassionate leader. Kyria made her way towards the fence and leaned against the wood.

"You wanted to talk to me?" said Kyria.

"Yeah" said Katara. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning"

Kyria looked up in surprise. "Oh" she said. "So soon?"

Katara took a deep breath, it was hard to say goodbye to someone you cared about, it was even harder when you never intended to leave in the first place.

"We only came here to drop you off and let Appa rest" said Katara, in a quiet voice. "We've already been here long enough, we don't know what could be happening in the Fire Nation"

"I hear that things aren't very good"

Katara recalled the contents of the letter and nodded."So much for wanting to visit the Fire Nation" she added with a small smile.

Kyria smiled at the light tease. "Well, you never know, things could look up"

"Kyria, I came to say goodbye" said Katara, her tone alot more serious than it had been a few seconds ago. "I don't know when I'll see you again and I won't be able to keep in touch while I'm there"

Kyria nodded. "You're going with Aang to help the Firelord, aren't you?"

Katara simply nodded.

Kyria took a deep breath. "Then I want to say thank you"

Katara looked up startled that was _not _the response she was expecting.

"For what?" completely puzzled.

"For being a good friend"

Katara looked into Kyria's eyes and could tell that she was being honest.

"When I first came to the South Pole I was a very timid girl everyone ignored me because I wasn't a bender and my mother forced me to lead a strict lifestyle, I've been alone with no friends for as long as I can remember"

Kyria paused as she sorted out the various emotions as she recalled her lonely years.

"Then you came along and befriended me, not because I was popular or rich but because you saw something in me that even I didn't realize at the time. You gave me the most valuable gift a girl could ask for"

Kyria's eyes were shining with tears at that point.

"The gift of true friendship"

Katara was overwhelmed.

"Oh, Kyria!" She pulled the girl into a tight embrace; much like Ty Lee did to her not too long ago.

"That was the best appreciation speech I've _ever_ heard!" she said. "Wait. Scrap that. That was the _only _appreciation speech I've ever heard, and thank you so much, you were always a good friend"

"Not as good as you" murmured Kyria.

"No" said Katara, firmly. "Listen, Kyria…."

It was her turn to confess her feelings, after all, this will be the last time in a long time that she will be able to see her.

"After the war ended, things were hard for me" she said. "I had just broken up with someone I cared about, and after travelling and fighting for almost a year… it was hard to return to the way of life I once led because I felt so useless. I never told this to anyone, but I was suffocating in the South Pole, after experiencing freedom and seeing the whole world, I couldn't just go back to life in an igloo and a cooking stove, not when I had lived in a palace and dined with kings"

She paused to let her words have it's intended effect.

But then you came along, and you gave me a reason to stay in the South Pole, everyday, my monotonous life became much easier because you were there to brighten my day. Don't you see, Kyria?" she questioned. "You keep thinking that I helped you, but the truth is _you _helped _me_, you helped where no one else could have. Dad and Sokka were busy with the tribe and I didn't want to sully their happiness, I couldn't tell Gran Gran about my problem because she would take it the wrong way. You once told me that I have motherly instincts, well the truth is, I _do _have motherly instincts, and thanks to you, I had someone to care for and worry over and after awhile I didn't feel useless any more"

"Gosh" said Kyria, wiping tears from her eyes. "Since when did we become so emotional?"

She pulled Katara into a hug and whispered. "I'll miss you, Katara"

Katara smiled, her heart melting at those words.

"I'll miss you too"

* * *

Zuko took a deep breath, as he tried to ignore the awkward atmosphere that hung about the prison hold like a stale stench. The prince's pale face was narrowed into a frown as his amber eyes scrutinized the pale woman who was his jailer. Gone was the ferocious woman who had beaten him, gone was the angry person whose eyes held nothing but contempt as she glared at him. Instead, a rather awkward and uncertain personality had manifested itself and was now dictating Sui's actions, the woman no longer seemed so sure of herself as she was a few days ago (Or was it hours? Zuko could no longer tell) Clearly, opening up to him had left her feeling vulnerable, hence, the distant and silent attitude that he had thus far been treated to.

Zuko was in no mood to be sympathetic especially when he had been the victim of this woman's fist and harsh words time and time again. But that did not mean that Zuko was heartless, a small side of him grudgingly admitted that part of him was moved by her openness and honesty, he was moved because he could relate to her disposition. Zuko now realized that he had been one of many of countless faces who had been treated maltreated by his father. This was not about politics or the war, Zuko now knew that much, Sui's actions were based on dark events in the past and motivated by revenge. Zuko could remember the perpetual anger that had once blinded him when he had been exiled. There had been too many occasions where he could have slipped and fallen, until he had lost himself in the pits of anger and hate and wasstrongly reminded of just how lucky he was to have Iroh in his life. Would Sui have joined the T'ien Ti had she had an uncle Iroh in her life?

"I know how you feel" his voice was nothing more than a whisper, but it still carried through the dungeon.

Sui did not turn to look at him but something in her frozen posture told Zuko that she was listening.

"You know nothing about how I feel" she snapped.

"Yes I do, I know just how cruel my father can be"

The words surprised Sui, she inclined her head in his direction though she did not look him in the eye.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Haven't you ever wondered where I got my scar from?"

_This _time Sui looked him in the eye, hazel eyes met amber before she quickly looked away.

"Bullshit" she said.

Zuko raised an eyebrow, that wasn't the reaction he was expecting.

"You honestly expect me to believe that your own father did that to you?"her voice clearly expressed her incredulous feeling.

"I have no reason to lie" said Zuko, in a calm voice. "He burned me in front of a dozen nobles and military officials, all of whom seem to be pleased"

Sui took a deep breath.

"I haven no interest in your sob story" she said, though her words seemed devoid of any conviction.

Zuko decided to ignore what she said and continue.

"That wasn't the worst of it, later on, while I was recovering, my father sent me a message saying that I was banished from the country until I found the Avatar"

Sui merely scoffed.

"You must have deserved it"

"All I did was oppose a general's war plans" said Zuko. "Does that sound like I deserve a scar and to be exiled?"

Sui merely smirked. "That general must have been more precious to your father".Zuko shrugged. "Maybe he was"

He was tapping into horrible memories that had set him down on a path of self loathing and remorse, yet, these harsh events no longer had the impact it once had on Zuko, even now, he could clearly recall his father's menacing frame towering over him, the flame that swirled towards his left eye, the blinding pain that took him as he fell unconscious. But now the memories that used to haunt his dreams amounted to nothing more than empty images and ambiguous flashes. Sui simply glared at him.

"Why?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Why do you want to be the next Firelord?" she said. "Why do you want to rule the country that praised your father as a hero?"

Zuko was surprised, this was yet another question that he had not been expecting, despite Sui's tough demeanour, the prince could tell that she had been yearning to talk to someone about her feelings. For a moment, Zuko was unsure of how to respond to the question, but when he spoke, it was with the simplest words that portrayed his feelings.

"Because I want to set it free"

Sui raised an eyebrow.

"Set the Fire Nation free?" she smirked at him. "It's tyrants like your father, people that have so much power in their hands that deny the country it's freedom, that's the purpose of the T'ien Ti, to-"

"I know"

Sui stuttered to a stop. "What?"

"I know that it has been tyrants like my father who have caused the Fire Nation to suffer even though they may not realize it and I intend to use that power to liberate my country and it's people, I intend to use my power to bring peace to a generation that only knew war, I intend to use my power to end the era of fear that my great grandfather created"

An awkward silence followed these words, Sui continued to glare at her prisoner, her eyes were wide with an incredulous expression, as she continued to survey the prince, as if unable to believe what she was hearing. Zuko stared back, his neutral expression hiding nothing while at the same time exposing everything. They stood like that for an eternity until Sui finally turned away. Without saying a word, she walked out of the prison hold, leaving Zuko to his own morbid thoughts.

* * *

Sokka stared at the bottle with beady eyes, the dark colour of the glass casting a rather gloomy reflection back at him. The warrior was convinced that he wasn't drunk despite what the nosey bartender told him, Sokka had held his own against the likes of moonshine sake and other substances that made the stuff he was drinking seem like sour milk. What the bartender failed to understand was Sokka always had the habit of talking aloud to himself. When he had tried to explain this to the bartender, the man merely scoffed with a _That's what everyone says _look on his face. Sokka ignored the man, choosing instead, to divulge into the topic that was the source of his worries.

"We could have just continued onto the Fire Nation to kick some fire bender butt but _noooo _we just had to stop at Kyoshi Island… stupid sister, stupid Kyria… stupid Aang for agreeing to come here"

Now Sokka was a practical person, as a budding mechanic he knew that the only way to solve the problem was to confront the issue, assess the situation than think of a solution. So why exactly was he drinking in a makeshift bar when he should have been out looking for Suki he had no idea. Perhaps, he was afraid that she might confirm his suspicions, or perhaps he was afraid that he would be right about Suki's feelings towards him, either way, Sokka was not ready to face her just yet. But at the same time, Sokka couldn't bear to be away from her, part of her yearned to feel the touch of her porcelain skin and to press her slim form against his own body. But Sokka couldn't ignore the fact that time was not on his side, they would leave for the Fire Nation tomorrow and he didn't know what was going to happen….

Sokka slammed the bottle on the wooden table, and got to his feet.

"That's it! Enough mooching around, I'm going to find her"

"Find who?"

Sokka jumped into the air, surprised by the voice he had longed to hear.

"Suki!" he cried twirling around, to her face.

For a moment he forgot himself and pulled her into a tight hug, overwhelmed by his sincere feelings, Suki returned the hug with equal vigour.

"Suki, I've-"

Sokka stuttered, his insecure feelings hitting with him full force.

"Yes?"

Sokka quickly broke the hug, and cleared his throat. "I mean, it's good to see you again" His voice was several octaves deeper.

Suki hastily covered her hand to hide her giggle.

"It's great to see you, Sokka" she said. "But, we need to talk"

Sokka's eyes widened as he felt a pit opening at his feet. He knew from talk amongst men that the words meant only one thing.

_She's gonna break up with me! _he thought. _She's actually going to break up with me_

Suki seemed to have understood what was going through his mind because she quickly raised her hands in defence.

"No, no, no, it isn't what you think"

Sokka was immediately on the defensive. "Oh yeah, what exactly was I thinking, how do you know what was going through my mind? _Can you read minds!! _No I don't think so, for all you know I could have just been thinking about getting another bottle!"

He raised the now empty bottle for emphasis.

"Sokka! You're making a scene" said Suki, trying to get him to be quiet. It backfired.

"I don't care if I am making a scene, _I'm Sokka the make-a-scene guy. _It's what I do alright! Right up there with sarcastic comments and putting nuts and bolts together"

"Hey buddy, if you've got a problem I suggest you take it outside!" yelled a large burly man.

Sokka whirled around to face him, not in the least bit intimidated.

"Oh yeah! Why don't you-"

He stopped when he felt a cool hand touch his lips.

"Great idea, Lu" said Suki, in a voice of forced cheerfulness.

Suki pulled Sokka towards the exit, using her strength to restrain the larger warrior, but he was too preoccupied to put up much of a fight.

_Lu? That's his name? Where the heck was he born? In the- _

"You really shouldn't have made such a scene you know" said Suki, cutting him off from his train of thought.

"I told you-"

"It's what you do. I know"

A small laugh followed her words and Sokka couldn't help but smile. Suki tugged her boyfriend outside the makeshift bar and into the cool, clear night. It was surprisingly peaceful considering that he had been inside a fairly noisy bar. The inky black sky was dotted with stars, the faint sound of crickets reached Sokka's ears, as he stood where he was and surveyed his girlfriend.

The warrior was in turmoil, every fibre in his body told him to just run, that it was better to wonder than to truly know, but another part of him told him to stick it out, he needed to know what was going through Suki's mind. Sokka took a deep breath.

"You said you wanted to talk" he said, in an unusually grave tone. "So talk"

Suki was taken aback by the subtle command but she took a deep breath, summoning the courage to say what was on her mind.

"Sokka, I want to apologize"

Sokka raised an eyebrow, confused.

"For what?"

"For not giving you a proper reply to your letters, I know I said I that was busy but-"

"It's okay"

Suki's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean"

Sokka's eyes wandered around the settlement. "I see how busy you must have been, all this change couldn't have been easy for you to handle, it's okay, I get it"

Suki smiled before leaping into his arms. "

I'm so glad that you understand"

Sokka shrugged. "Yeah…"

"To be honest I thought that you might be a little harder to convince"

Sokka merely shrugged. For a moment, the two of them stood where they were in each other's embrace, svouring the warmth of their bodies. After awhile, the two of them broke apart.

"Sokka there's something I need to tell you..."

Suki looked distinctly uncomfortable as she spoke these words, causing Sokka to frown in concern.

"What's up?"

Suki opened her mouth to speak but before she could utter a syllable, a voice rang through darkness.

"Hey, Suki!"

Both of them froze, Suki's jaw dropped open in horror, Sokka turned towards the newcomer with a raised eyebrow. A man came into view, Sokka immediately noticed that he was taller than him by a few inches and that (he hated to admit it to himself) he was very handsome. The tall man came up to them, his brown eyes fixed on Suki. Sokka stood where he was frozen, part of him had a feeling what was coming but he couldn't bring himself to believe it.

"Hey, Suki, I've been looking for a chance to talk to you. Listen, I had a great time the other day and I was hoping I could take you out some other time-"

"Now is really not a good time-"

Sokka's mind kicked into action, anger flooded through his body.

"No! Now's the perfect time!" He turned to the taller man. "I want to hear more about this _other day _tell me what exactly did you guys do?"

"Sokka, it's not what-" cried Suki, but was cut off by Sokka.

"I was talking to _him_" he hissed, pointing at the man for emphasis. "Tell me what happened the _other day_, you know what? Before you do that, do you know who the hell I am?"

"Uhh…" Despite the man's height and size, he seemed to be the harmless type.

"Yeah, I didn't think so, my name is Sokka, her boyfriend" he said, pointing at Suki. "And the guy whose going to kick your ass all the way to Omashu if you don't get out of my sight, right now!"

"But" said the man, timidly. "You wanted to know about the other day-"

"OUT!" roared Sokka, pulling out his boomerang. "Or do I have to _make _you leave?"

The man gave a fleeting glance at Suki before running off. Sokka turned to glare at Suki who paled under his glare.

"Sokka, I can-"

"So, _this _is the reason why didn't reply to my letters, going out with other guys, giving them a _wonderful time_"

"Sokka" said Suki, sounding exasperated. "Will you just listen for a sec-"

"No! I'm done listening, all this time I thought you were busy with work, _now _I know what you've been really doing all this time. You stabbed me in the back, Suki!"

Sokka had been yelling and people from the bar had come outside to see the commotion. Sokka whirled around to face them.

"What? _You gotta problem_?"

Nobody moved, clearly the sight of the boomerang had put them on their guard.

"Go back and tell the bartender that his drinks suck! And his bar shouldn't even be called a bar, _Wussie Drinks _is a more appropriate name!"

With those words, Sokka turned around and walked away, Suki followed him. "Sokka, I wanted to tell you about this-"

"Oh yeah, what a delightful story that would have made" snapped Sokka. "_Hey Sokka, guess what? The real reason I haven't been writing to you is because I've been sleeping around with other guys_"

Suki grabbed Sokka's shoulder, turned him around so that he was facing herand slapped him hard on the face. A stunned silence filled the air as both people contemplated the words that were just spoken. Sokka regretted saying what he had said but he was not going to take them back, he had every right to say those words, harsh as they may have been.

"How dare you" hissed Suki. "How dare you imply such a thing?"

Sokka was in no mood to back down.

"What else could that guy mean when he said that he had a wonderful time?"

"It was just _tea! _We went to a teashop, had tea and that was it!"

Sokka was not buying it.

"So this guy had a wonderful time because he had tea? If that was the case we'd be having a wonderful time every _everyday_"

Suki growled in frustration.

"Sokka! Do you honestly think that I would fool around with anyone else _knowing _that you would get hurt?"

Sokka looked into Suki's eyes, windows to her soul that expressed openness and honesty. Sokka looked away.

"I don't know, Suki, I'm not sure"

His voice was now soft, nothing more than the fog in the mist and the atmosphere changed from loud and angry to silent and grave. Suki suddenly closed the distance between them and enveloped Sokka into a deep hug.

"I felt so lonely" she whispered. "I had people all around me but there was this void in my heart that only you could fill and it was _eating _away at me and I needed a break, I needed to forget the fact that I was a lonely girl whose boyfriend was more than a thousand miles away, I just needed to _be _and I so I…"

She trailed off unable to find the words.

"So you dated" whispered Sokka.

Suki cradled her head in his chest, her tears seeping through his thin clothes.

"You should know that I thought about you the whole time, I compared them to you and none of them came even close to you. It was like trying to compare a pebble to a diamond"

A brief pause followed as the couple contemplated the words.

"I never wanted you to find out this way and I'm _so _sorry"

An awkward silence fell between the two, as Sokka thought about all that had been said.

All of Sokka's insecurities suddenly poured forth, all of the pain and uncertainty that he had struggled to keep at bay for so long surged through his mind with renewed vigour. Nobody knew how he had felt during his time in the South Pole, he never mentioned it to anyone. How he had resisted the impulse to board a ship, travel to Kyoshi and bring Suki to the South Pole. While everyone had thought that he would sooner or later forget about Suki, he had stuck by his feelings, ignoring every other girl who had shown interest in him. It hurt to find out that Suki had not done the same. He slowly pried Suki's arms off his body and stepped away.

"You were not the only one who had to deal with being alone" he whispered. "You were not the only one who had to deal with the void in your heart, Suki, It was difficult for me too, being away from you was one of the hardest times in my life but I buried myself in my work to get by. I think" he stopped to raise his hand because Suki had opened her mouth. "I think this goes to show one thing"

Suki narrowed her eyes. "What are you saying?"

"I…"

What was he going to say? He did not want to end his relationship, Sokka sincerely believed her when she said that she was sorry but at the same time… The warrior turned away from her.

"I don't know"

He heard Suki gasp. "You don't know?" she said, there was a hint of hysteria to her voice. "You're leaving tomorrow, I don't know when I'll see you again, and all you can say is _you don't know_?"

Sokka did not say anything, he did not know what to say, his heart had been broken and the only way it could heal was if he got away from Kyoshi Island. Taking a deep breath, Sokka began to tread the path towards his quarters, he did not say anything and he choose not to hear anything, as he walked away from the only girl he had ever loved, a lone and broken man.

* * *

If there was one thing that Toph hated about the night, it was the dreaded silence that came with the dark skies, she knew that the skies were dark because scrolls that her nannies read to her but she had no clue if it was in fact true. When Tophbeen locked away in her home, the earthbender was able to distinguish night from day through the lack of activity during the former. However, when she began to travel the world her notions were turned upside down. Cities were more active during the night than day, and even the forest and wildlife would come alive during the night.  
Tonight, however, on Kyoshi Island, none of her previous notions were rebutted and it brought a degree of comfort. It was proof that some things could still stay the same even though major changes were taking place around the world. Toph blew a stray bang across from her forehead as she sensed a colony of ants marching across the ground not too far away from her. The earthbender sighed as she wiggled her toes into the soft brown earth.

"It's so boring here" she said to herself. "Only the South Pole could beat this place"

Her ears suddenly perked up when she sensed movement not too far behind her, the feel of footsteps that were so faint it was almost too easy to miss. Toph couldn't help the smile on her face as the footsteps came closer.

"Hey there, Twinkles" she said, as the footsteps stopped next to her. "You've been in Kyoshi Shrine for a long time, what took you so long?"

"Nothing you'd understand" came the grumpy reply.

Toph recognized that tone. Having travelled the world with him for several years, Toph had come to know his every tone, every move and every feeling. The earthbender could tell that Aang was speaking in a tone that expressed frustration, confusion, desperation and sadness all at once, that particular tone was an indication that nothing was going his way, which was very rare when one considered the luck he had had. Toph shrugged, she had heard from Katara that he had been inside Kyoshi's Shrine for a while, scarcely leaving the place unless he had to eat or drink something. Toph was not a brilliant mathematician but she had a sharp mind and could tell that Aang feeling frustrated and confused plus spending long hours at the shrine meant one thing: Whatever he was trying to do, he was failing at it.

"You wanna talk about what's bothering you?" she said, she did not hear a reply. "Are you shaking your head?"

"I am" he assented.

The earthbender could feel Aang walking away, his shoulders hanging in dejection. The feel of him being so down and dejected, unnerved Toph and stirred something inside her.

"Twinkles!" she called out, she could sense Aang turning around at the mention of his name.

"If you wanna talk about what's bothering you" she said. "You know you can come to me any time, right?"

The earthbender apprehensivel paused, as she awaited Aang's reply, the thick silence covered them like a blanket, adding a layer of tension to the waiting. Toph could feel Aang's heartbeat going into overdrive as she awaited his answer, he could tell that was surprised by her words.

_He's not the only one _thought Toph.

After what seemed like hours, Aang finally spoke.

"I will, Toph, thanks for the offer"

With those words, Aang turned around and walked away. Suddenly, Toph felt the urge to say something else.

"But don't think I'm some living, walking diary where you can feed all your sob stories into!" she yelled. "Remember that, Twinkles! I ain't no walking diary"

The earthbender bended a large amount of earth and threw at him, for good measure. She heard the earth crumble into pieces as Aang tore it apart effortlessly.

"Humph" snapped Toph. "Stupid, Avatar"

The earthbender sat down and allowed the silence to overtake her again.

"Stupid, _grumpy _Avatar"

* * *

_A/N: That's all for now, I hope you guys are happy with this chapter, if so, please review. If you weren't happy, leave a review stating what you found inadequate about the chapter (or story) I always appreciate well-intended constructive crictism. _


	16. Mountains That Bleed

_A/N: I want to thank Demac, Acerbus Erus, a5h13y 101, Rohain Tahquil, sokkantylee, AnnaAza, doctor anthony and ArrayePL. For your awesome reviews. Thanks alot, words are not enough to express my gratitude. With that said, here's chapter 15, this chapter is solely focused on Zuko and his regiment. _

_

* * *

  
_

_**Chapter 15- Mountains That Bleed  
**_

"_Hello? Are you alright?" _

_Somebody was calling out to him, guessing from the high pitch voice, it seemed to be a woman. He groaned, as he felt his head throbbing with pain. _

_"Hello? Can you walk, Mister?"  
_

_"Shut up" he growled back. _

_He could feel the woman's presence retreating and he couldn't help but smirk to himself. He opened a bleary eye and looked around, the first thing he saw was the clear blue sky, however as his vision cleared he could see that he was surrounded by a forest, lying on soft ground in the midst of the clearing. He groaned and his hand immediately flew to his head as a burst of pain throbbed through his skull. _

_"Please, lie down" said the voice._

_ He turned around to glare at the speaker, and was immediately disarmed by her looks. She had a fairly round face, framed by her long dark hair that cascaded down to her shoulders she had full red lips and large hazel brown eyes framed by long eyelashes. There was nothing exquisite about her looks he thought, but she was cute, and in his opinion cute, trumped exquisite. At the moment, however, he was in no mood for such advances. He turned away ignoring her request._

_ "Who are you?" _

_"I think the question is, how are you?" came the reply._

_ He turned around to glare at her. _

_"Why are you here?" T_

_he young girl glared at him, she did not look angry, her features still maintained that gentle look, but her eyes expressed her feelings. _

_"I was walking home" she said. "And I saw you here, passed out" _

_"You saw me here?" he gasped in surprise._

_ He immediately patted his chest only to feel nothing but coarse cotton._

_ 'Damn, where did my armour go?' he thought. _

_The girl's words snapped him out of his reverie. _

_"Please, drink this" she said, holding a cup of steaming liquid. _

_Lee frowned at the cup. "What is that?" _

_"It's a herbal remedy" _

_His head throbbed even harder when she mentioned it. Cautiously, he took the cup from her without a word of thanks and sniffed it's contents. A strong smell hit him like a raging rhino, surging through his nostrils and making him cough. The young girl looked up with a look of concern on her face._

_ "Something wrong?" _

_"Yeah, I don't need this shit" he said tossing the contents onto the ground. "My head ain't that bad" _

_The girl glared at him. _

_"Well, I'm sorry if I disturbed you" she snapped, getting to her feet and glaring down at him. "Maybe I should have just left you dying on the roadside" _

_He shrugged, not in the mood for a woman's tantrum. _

_"Yeah, you should have" he said, casually. "It's not like I asked you to help me"_

_ He suddenly he felt a blinding pain on his right hand and yelped in pain and surprise. The girl had stomped on his hand and was walking away. _

_"Hey!" he roared. "Come back here" _

_The girl didn't pay attention to him, and continued walking away. He got to his feet and felt a swirling sensation, like his brain was drowning in a whirlwind of dizzy images and obscure objects. He struggled to get a hold on his head, he groaned and covered his face, trying to block out the bright light. _

_"Here" came a voice. "Give me your hand"_

_ His first instinct was to yell in frustration, he didn't need __another __stranger coming and disturbing him. _

_"Get up, you jerk!" said the voice, and he immediately opened his eye. _

_His vision had somewhat cleared and he could see that the girl who had stomped on his hand had come back. He blinked and looked around in surprise, he had fallen to the ground in his brief fit of pain. _

_"Are you deaf? I said get up! Or was that tough talk just for show?"_

_ He reluctantly got to his feet, though he would rather lie down. The girl placed his arm around her shoulder and steadied herself. He couldn't help but notice that she was soft and gentle in her touch and that he had comfortable height over her. _

_"Why are you here?" he whispered, suddenly feeling exhausted. _

_"I can't just abandon a person who needs my help" said the girl. "Even if that person is a big jerk" _

_The next few minutes were spent in awkward silence as they made their way through the clearing. _

_"Where are you taking me?" he whispered. _

_"To my house" said the girl. "My father is a herbalist, we can heal your injuries" _

_"Injuries?" _

_"Your leg is broken, you probably won't feel it because your head is throbbing so much but you will" _

_They languished in awkward silence, as he tried to ignore the pounding in his head, he suddenly wished that he did not throw away that cup of herbal tea, it may have tasted awful but the after effects would have been worth it. _

_"By the way" said the girl. "I never got your name" _

_"Lee, Xiu Lee" _

_"It's nice to meet you, Lee" said the girl. "My name is Song" _

"Lieutenant!"

Lee's eyes snapped open as he was woke from his dream. Two men were standing over him, with looks of apprehension on their faces.

"Lieutenant, they're here"

Any drowsiness that Lee might have felt vanished upon hearing those words, the young lieutenant got to his feet and looked around. Looking at the pink, orange horizon, Lee could see several dark shapes along the surface of the mountain.

"Lieutenant" It was Sen-Su, his voice laced with apprehension.

Lee got to his feet and dusted himself off. "This is it, men" he said. "The enemy is here. You all know what to do"

The captains nodded and ran off in different directions to complete their orders.

* * *

For the first time in what felt like months, Zuko found himself alone in the dark prison. The prince had been waiting for a chance like this ever since he had been captured the second time, but now that it had finally come, Zuko suddenly wished that Sui was with him. The warrior had not come to his prison ever since the day she had inadvertently revealed the reasons behind her hatred towards the royal family. Zuko could not blame the woman for feeling what she felt, he too would be furious at anyone who cut down his uncle and then thrown him and his mother out of their house.

Whenever the prince's train of thought went down that particular lane he would curse his disposition, did all the people of the T'ien Ti feel this way? Did Ozai's (Zuko no longer taught of the man as his father) tyranny affect so many people in such a personal manner? If that was the case, Zuko was going to have a hard time dealing with this rebellion because he could relate to their suffering, he could understand their feeling of anguish, confusion and hatred. With his wrists chained above his head, Zuko couldn't help but feel that his current position was a symbol of how his reign as Fire Lord would be like, despite the title and the armies, Zuko now knew that control was a luxury that he no longer had, all he could do was swim against the oncoming tide and try to restore the good name that his great grandfather had tarnished when he chose to abuse his control and start a war that sent the world spiralling into an era of uncertainty and suffering. Zuko now realized that he was in no position to control, he could only respond to events and convince people like Sui that there was still a vein of good in the royal bloodline.

Zuko took a deep breath, fighting the urge to hit his head against the unforgiving wall.

"The gods just love to give me a rough time" he murmured to himself.

Zuko was not sure if Sui's absence was because she didn't want to face him or simply because she was part of the planned assault on his regiment. Either way, it was extremely stupid to leave him alone, wasn't he supposed to be their most valuable hostage? The prince glanced up at his wrists; days of being tied in an awkward position had left his arms numb. Zuko took a deep breath, if an attack was coming that it would be a bloodbath. His regiment maybe cornered, but Zuko knew his men better, if they were cornered they will fight like beasts to get out of their disposition. The worst part was that the hapless civilians of Sozin would be caught in the middle of the fighting. Zuko had to be there before it got to a point where he was powerless to do anything.  
The prince took a deep breath and felt the power of his inner fire course through his veins, a puff of steam unfurled from his nostrils, as he broke through the stone handcuffs that chained him to the wall. There was brief sound like a small explosion, as the stone chains disintegrated into small pieces. Zuko gasped in relief as his arms were liberated from their stiff position, he spent the next couple of minutes swinging his arms and flexing his wrists.

Zuko needed to find the path that led to the surface, he had no clue where to go or what path to take but that couldn't be helped, and he couldn't help but think about Toph, whose skills would have made this situation seem like child's play. The prince sighed and shook his head, he couldn't afford to think about his friends, and he had bigger matters to attend to. Zuko took a deep breath and walked out of his prison and looked around, the darkness would have been oppressive if it weren't for the brackets of brilliant orange fire that gleamed in the corridor. Zuko took a deep breath and began to cautiously walk down the path. He could only hope that instinct would take him down the right road. The prince had barely taken two steps when a loud voice ripped through the corridor.

"THE PRISONER HAS ESCAPED!!"

Zuko whirled around, amber eyes wide with horror. Two men were already charging at him, spears and swords in hand. Zuko cursed his breath and began to run. His legs were still awkward due to a lack of excersie, but the prince kept running, knowing that he did not have the strength to fight two men at the same time.

* * *

The map he had was a large and detailed diagram of the tunnels that went through and around the Dai Chi Mountains. It was the document that had been wrapped with the blue ribbon, meant only for the prince's eyes. Lee had been initially suspicious of the document as it was too good to be true, but after scoping the surroundings and finding the bearings on the map accurate, Lee knew that his men were in danger and had made the appropriate arrangments. The Lieutenant sighed as his eyes scanned the myriad tunnels that snaked in and around the mountain before looking up at the battlefield, his men stood in tight formation. "Are you sure about this Lieutenant Lee?" Came a voice from behind.

"Absoloutely, Sen Su" he said. "What has Colonel Qin said?"

"He has sent word saying that he has already begun the evacuation, though we maybe cramped for room in our ships" Lee shook his head.

"It cannot be helped" he said.

"But Lieutenant, sir, what of the prince, are we just going to leave him?"

Before Lee could answer, a sudden roar drew their attention. Lee looked around to see what had caused the commotion and he couldn't help and smile at what he saw. Hundreds of men dressed in black and white poured out from the base of the mountains. With an immense roar that prickled the hair on the back of Lee's neck, they charged at the military men whose uniform of gold and red clashed with that of the dull uniforms of the rebels. Lee noticed that these men charging the regiment wielded a variety of weapons from spears to war scythes. Lee smiled, without taking his eyes away from the scene, he rolled the map into a tight scroll and tossed it to Sen Su and gave him a meaningful look, the message was clear, _Do not let anyone look at the map_. Sen Su nodded to indicate his understanding. Lee turned his attention back to the battle at hand, with one hand on the hilt of his sword, he ran forward, down the hill and into the fray.

* * *

Zuko pressed his frail body against the stone wall and closed his eyes, silently praying that his two pursers would run past without stopping. The prince tried to temper his breathing to shallow breaths so as to minimize the risk of being exposed. He heard loud footsteps come to a gradual halt, followed by two loud voices.

"Which way did he go?"

"Don't know, we would have been able to catch him sooner had it not been for this damn armour"

"Let's split up and go both ways, if he either us encounter him we can take him easily"

"What makes you so sure?"

"If he could take the both of us he wouldn't have run in the first place"

"But that doesn't mean he can't take us on our own, maybe that's why he's hiding, to split us-"

"JUST SHUT UP AND GO DOWN THAT WAY! WE'RE WASTING TIME"

Grumbling incomprehensibly, the pursers parted ways as they went down the two corridors. Zuko heaved a sigh of relief as he came out of his hiding place. The prince was breathing deeply as he contemplated his next move, there was no way he could get out by just running through the place, for all he knew he could be going deeper and deeper into this mountain fortress. Had Zuko been at full strength he would have been able to easily tackle the two men who had chased him and interrogate them. But he was in no position to fight two armed men when he had been chained to a wall for Agni knew how long, it was impossible to tell difference between night and day in a mountain fortress.

"Having fun?"

Zuko whipped around and gasped in surprise. He barely had enough time to acknowledge who was speaking before he was forced to duck out of the way as a fist closed in on his jaw, his footing failed him and he fell to the ground. Zuko stuck out his hand to break his fall. He barely had time to register his position before he felt a sharp pain on his hand. He gasped in surprise and looked down, to see a black boot clamped over the hand he had used to break his fall. Zuko looked up to see who is assailant was only to look into Sui's piercing brown eyes.

"Running away?" she sneered.

"Sui" whispered Zuko. "Please listen to me.."

"No" snapped Sui. "I've done enough listening the other day. You're nothing more than a royal pain in the ass, why the boss even wants to keep you prisoner I don't know"

"People will die" hissed Zuko. "People will die if I don't get to the surface now!"

Sui shook her head. "It's too late, we've already launched the assault against your regiment"

Zuko's heart clenched in horror.

"What do you plan to gain by doing this? Do you really think that battles are the answer?"

"Do you really think that killing people is the answer?" snapped Sui. "Because that's what your ancestors have done time and time again!"

Zuko was stunned speechless, how could he answer for the atrocities of his ancestors?

"People who make others suffer for their own greed don't deserve to live" said Sui, her eyes glowing with malice. "People like your family and everyone who serve you"

Zuko sighed, even though hehad been through some trying times in his life, he never wished death upon the people who caused him pain, not Zhao, nor Ozai not even Azula. Zuko now realized that he could no longer relate to Sui's pain, because unlike Zuko, Sui had chosen to give in to her hatred, she refused to see that Zuko was different from his father. Zuko felt terrible for Sui but now was not the time to be sympathetic; he had to reach his regiment.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Sui" he said. "I hope that one day you'll change your mind, but right now, I really don't have time for this"

Before Sui could even register his words, Zuko grabbed her ankle and pulled, causing her to stumble onto the stone wall. While she struggled to recover, Zuko got to his feet only to be greeted by a fist followed by a round kick to his temple. Zuko ducked out of the way

_She's fast _he thought to himself. _I won't be able to keep up at this rate_

She was still on one foot and hence her balance would be unsteady. Zuko flipped himself onto his back and performed a spinning kick. The move that disarmed so many opponents knocked Sui off her feet. She gasped for breath as Zuko got to his feet. Zuko gazed down at the young girl around his own age and for a moment their eyes met. Zuko could see the anger and confusion reflected in those hazel brown eyes.

"I'm so sorry" he murmured before running down the corridor.

He fully expected her to come at him and he was not disappointed. With a cry of rage, Sui got to her feet and ran at him, her footsteps echoing in the narrow passageway. Zuko spun around in time to see her pull out a blade from her sleeve. Zuko attempting to counter her charge, raised his arm where a weak fire sparked to life. Sui battered the arm aside as it were a twig and jammed Zuko in his mid section. Zuko gasped in pain as he was robbed of breath. He barely felt the pain on his back when Sui slammed him against the stone wall and placed the knife at his throat. Zuko's chest heaved as he struggled to recover the breath that he was deprived; his amber eyes glowered with fear and surprise as they flitted from the knife poised on his throat to the woman who was holding it.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" she hissed.

Zuko chose not to say anything, he was petrified into immobility by the large and sharp looking dagger poised just above his throat.

"Why" hissed Sui. "Why can't you be like the rest of them? Why do you have to be so different?"

Zuko's fear changed to confusion at those words.

"What?" he whispered.

"Why can't you be the monstrous tyrant that everyone loves to hate?" continued Sui. "Why do you have to be the man who wants to help rebuild this nation? Why do you want to be the man who saves this country? Why do you have to be the ruler who cares about his people? WHY!"

Zuko was stunned into silence, for the first time since he had met her, her eyes no longer blazed like fire, they no longer glowered with the need for vengeance, her eyes no longer held that dangerous aura that spoke of hatred. Instead, her eyes were soft with tender emotions she had kept buried for so long, the hazel colour of her eyes once hard with anger now swirled in sadness and turmoil like the ocean during a storm. Her eyes were wet, as if she was on the verge of crying but warm as a myriad of emotions swarmed to take over and dictate her actions.  
The propinquity between them exposed Zuko to the conflicted soul that lay beneath Sui's hard exterior and his heart went out to her.

"Why" she whispered. "Why do you have to be so _difficult _to hate? Ever since my father died, I've hated the royal family, I hated them for reaping wealth while others had to struggle. I've thrived on it for so long, it's why I am here and yet you come along and you _shatter _my resolve. Why? Give me an answer"

To say that the air was thick with tension was an understatement, Zuko felt like he was suffocating under the weight of Sui's emotions, and he understood the gravity of his words, what he would say could undo her perception of the world she knew and the course of her actions, years of hard work could be undone in a couple of sentences.  
Zuko could relate to that feeling, because that was the sort of impact Aang had had on him.

"It's because I understand what you're going through" his voice was no more than a whisper, but it carried across the passageway.

"When my father first exiled me from the Fire Nation I felt that he was right in doing so"

The prince paused as traces of anger and resentment darted through his mind, nothing more than mere memories of an incredibly hard time.

"I felt that he was right because I thought that I was inadequate to be by his side, my family had produced a long line of powerful firebenders and compared to my sister, I was just mediocre. For three years, I sailed the world angry at everything, my crew, my uncle, the avatar. In truth, I was angry with myself because I thought I wasn't good enough. But when I met the avatar, my journey took an unexpected turn. All of a sudden, I began to question myself and whether what I was doing was right. It left me so confused, but I didn't want to question myself, I didn't want to be confused. So I continued to pursue him, continued to keep an eye just waiting for the moment to capture him"

Zuko took a deep breath, it felt like he was narrating a tale from a different lifetime even though it was no more than two years ago.

"I was so fixated on that goal that I even betrayed somewhat who brought a semblance of peace and sanity during those hard times"

"Who?" whispered Sui.

"A girl who's very important to me" said Zuko. "I hurt her, and if the avatar didn't need me to teach him firebending she wouldn't have accepted me as a friend"

"Where are you going with this?" hissed Sui. "I was so angry at myself for not being good enough for my father, I was so angry at the avatar for constantly evading me that I didn't really consider the possibility that I wasn't meant to be _like _my father. I could never standby and watch innocent people suffer in an endless war just like he did, I was just too… different"

"So what is your point?"

"My point is that I can understand how you feel, after years of hard work, you've begin to question everything you've believed in, your motives, your actions, your perception of right and wrong. All because of a single conversation you had with me"

Sui's eyes widened with shock, surprised at Zuko's perceptiveness.

"I can only tell you this, don't let your emotions cloud your judgement, and you should dig deep for all the answers"

Sui narrowed her eyes at these words.

"Don't let my emotions cloud my judgement? You expect me to be happy after what happened to my family?"

"I didn't say that" said Zuko. "I said that you shouldn't let your anger and grief cloud your judgement. I don't blame you for being mad at my father, what he did was cruel but you should remember that I too suffered as a result of his cruelty and I have the mark to prove it, what I'm asking you to do is to ask yourself this question. By killing me do you get what you really want?"

The silence seemed to last for hours, Zuko froze in his position not daring to even breathe as Sui drilled him with her death glare. Zuko hoped that she would see things his way, not just because he would be able to reach his regiment but also because Sui would be able to see the good in him and ultimately herself, if she was able to do that then he would be able to make a friend out of an enemy, just like Aang had done with him. Then suddenly, Sui's grip on her knife slackened and she hung her head, as if in shame.

"You're one royal pain in the ass"

* * *

With a tremendous roar that could have shaken the skies, the men charged into battle. Lee took a few steps forward, as if he had done this a hundred times in a hundred lifetimes. He could feel the awesome force of his regiment surging forward. Lee drew his sword, the primal feeling of his instincts take over. A masked man swung his club like weapon down on his head. Lee sidestepped him and slid his sword across his abdomen. He unfurled a powerful blast of fire at three more. A demented grin spread across his face, as he plunged his sword into a man's stomach before pulling it out and turning around to face two others.

"It's been too long!" he roared, with delight.

He turned to face five men who had decided take him at the same time. Lee ducked low at a poorly aimed swipe at his head and exploited the brief opening, slicing open the man's gut. Blood splattered his armour as he turned towards the remaining four. Three men came at him with katanas in each hand. Smirking, Lee got down on one knee, held up his sword with his right arm to parry two weapons aimed for his head, while he shoved his left fist deep into the third man's chest.

The fist was coated in flame and Lee could smell as well as hear the man's heart fry in his chest. Keeping his fingers nimble and loose, Lee wrenched his blood-coated hand from the man's chest as he collapsed. A fire sparked to life in his red hand and he quickly swiped it across the throats of the other two men. The remaining two men seemed hesitant to take him, having seen what happened to their comrades. But Lee was not planning to be merciful.

Taking advantage of their hesitation, Lee plunged his knee into one man's stomach in a gut wrenching kick. The man doubled over and Lee rolled over him, bringing his sword down on the remaining man who held up his spear to defend himself. Lee's sword shattered the wooden shaft sliced clean through the man's shoulder, chest and hip. Blood spurted from his upper body, as he cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor. The remaining man had just gotten to his feet. Lee grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and lifted him clean off the ground before slamming him onto the unforgiving rocky soil. The man gasped in pain. Lee raised his sword to plunge into the man's chest but instead raised it above his head to block another incoming blow to his head. Lee swiped his sword upwards and nearly sliced the sneaky offender in half. Lee turned back to his victim on the ground who was by now shaking his head in terror.

"No, no, please!"

Lee did not heed a word and instead plunged his blood-drenched sword into the man's throat. The man's gurgling did not seem to reach Lee's ears, as he looked up and surveyed his surroundings. More men were coming out of the mountain, and for a moment, Lee was astounded that so many men were able to hide there, his moment of contemplation was short lived as six men charged at him, this time surrounding him on all sides. Lee's smirk grew into a big grin as he charged the person in front of him, the man who was wielding a spear stumbled back, surprised that Lee would do such a daring thing. Before he could take more than four steps Lee whipped out his sword briefly spun it over his head before stabbing the man right through his throat.

Crimson blood poured over sliver steel as the man gurgled and gasped for breath, Lee wrenched the man's spear from his hand and with a wet sound pulled his sword out of the dying man's throat. With a blood red sword in one hand, a spear in the other, Lee turned to face the remaining five men, the huge grin on his face and the blood that splattered his armour gave him a demented look that made the men pause briefly in their goal to kill him. Taking advantage of their indecision. Lee took a step and flung the spear at the person furthest from him. The spear swirled through the air and hit it's target directly in the abdomen. As the person fell to the ground, Lee charged forward. Bringing his sword up he sliced his opponent's head, the man had been too distracted to notice Lee coming. In one s movement, Lee bent down and picked up the man's axe.

The remaining three men charged at him determined not to give him any openings. One man raised his war scythe over his head and brought it down hard. Lee sidestepped the blow and sliced the man's abdomen open. Lee saw two men approaching him at the same time, in one swift movement he launched a well-placed kick on the man approaching to his right giving him ample time to face the remaining person. The man leapt into the air and attempted to thrust his spear at Lee's head. Lee sidestepped the attack and moved swiftly so that he found himself under the man who was now soaring through the air. The Lieutenant plunged his sword into the man's chest stopping him in his arc through the air. Lee smiled to himself as he tossed the body aside as if it were ragged doll.

These men, he realized, were not skilled enough to pose any real threat to the regiments.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he felt an intense pain shoot down his right arm. Cursing himself, Lee spun around and punched the man who he had neglected before bringing up his sword and thrusting it... into the man's groin. Lee's final opponent dropped his sword and unleashed a high-pitched scream that could have awoken the dead. Wincing, Lee pulled out his sword and swung it hard across the man's throat. The Lieutenant's eyes briefly wondered over the damage he had done and shuddered as he saw the ruined groin.

"Sorry about that" he murmured, though there was nothing in his voice to indicate that he was sorry.

* * *

With a loud noise, the door opened to reveal the secret passageway, Zuko gasped for air as he stepped through the tall door. The prince had been within the mountain for so long, he had forgotten what it was like to breathe fresh air. The sensation of the fresh air cleansing his lungs left him dizzy and he doubled over, taking deep breaths while placing his hands on his knees. Beside him, Sui did not seem to be affected by the change in atmosphere and merely spared the prince a look before walking a few paces towards the edge of the mountain.

"Looks like the battle is in full swing" she said, from her monotone she could have been talking about the weather.

Zuko uttered a curse before joining Sui at the mountain's edge. He could clearly see his regiment fighting on what little ground they had, the grey ground splattered with deep scarlet blood.

"It looks like the mountain itself is bleeding" murmured Sui.

Figures of dark and red fought against figures of black and white, Zuko could see brief flares of fire as firebenders on both sides tried to best one another. No more than a few meters away, he could see the dark ships on which they had arrived on, churning out smoke. Zuko frowned at this sight.

Sui broke the silence between them, "What do you plan to do?"

Zuko looked up in surprise. Sui frowned in irritation.

"Don't make me repeat myself" she snapped. "What. Do. You. Plan. To. Do?"

Zuko turned away, he had been surprised when she had asked that question, like she was implying that she was going to help him. The prince's eyes returned to the battlefield.

"I have no idea" he said, more to himself than the person next to him.

The battle that he had hoped to prevent was already in full swing and there was no chance of stopping it, the only way it could end now was if one side was defeated. The sounds of steel clashing with steel, the war cries and the smell of blood was overwhelming and for a moment the prince forgot how to breathe. Zuko turned away from the sight, hoping to recover what dignity he had left.

Zuko hated to admit, but now that the battle had started, he was hoping that his regiment would come out the victors even if it came at the expense of the T'ien Ti. Zuko sighed in resignation.

"There's nothing I can do" he said. "At least not right now"

Sui merely scoffed and turned away. "I'd be surprised if you could"

Zuko sighed in frustration and resisted the urge to pull out his hair. It was frustrating not be able to do anything, for a moment he remembered his days in exile and how helpless he had felt when hunting the avatar who he would later befriend. But Iroh had always been trying to remind him, in his subtle (yet not so subtle ways) that there was more life than just honour and a father's favour, that there could be joy found even in the simplest of things, such as washing the clothes you wore.

_What would uncle do in this situation? _He thought to himself.

There could only be two possible solutions. One, Iroh would have brought his reputation as the Dragon of the West into play and pulled out awesome firebending and oratory to put a stop to this. Two, he would just brew a cup of tea and wait for the storm to settle.

Deciding that the latter was a more likely possibility, Zuko turned away and joined Sui who was sitting on a ledge idly playing with a dagger, Zuko looked at her pale face that spoke of boredom and he was strongly reminded of Mai, the prince shuddered, not wanting to think about the girl at this moment. Zuko sat down next to her.

"Can I ask you a few things?" Sui shrugged.

"Depends on the question" she said.

Zuko nodded before speaking.

"Was the aim of this entire operation a way to kidnap me and wipe out my regiment?"

Sui nodded. "Yeah, pretty much"

Zuko flinched at her casual tone before continuing.

"Have you ever met the T'ien Ti leadership?" asked Zuko, he was determined to find out more about the people who had caused him so much trouble.

Sui nodded. "A few times" she said. "He always speaks to us, encouraging us to stay true to the cause, but I've never seen his face if that's what you're asking"

Zuko looked her in the eyes and he could tell that she was being honest, besides, there was no point in lying after she had literally let him go when she had had him pinned against the wall. Zuko nodded.

"What exactly is the cause of the T'ien Ti?"

"To free the people from oppression and suffering"

Zuko sighed, choosing to ignore this comment, he had been chained to a wall for what felt like days with little food and water to sustain him, the adrenalin that had been pumping through his veins was now fading away allowing exhaustion to takeover his body, he was tired of explaining himself to the same person over and over again.

"And just how large is the T'ien Ti?" he asked.

Sui gave another nonchalant shrug.

"I don't really know" she said, honestly. "All I know is that it's massive"

Zuko said nothing for a moment as he tried to process the lack of information, or rather, lack of information. What disturbed him most was the absence of the two regiments that were supposed to have helped them with the defence of this city. Colonel Qin had told them that he had received a note from them stating that they were present in the city but Zac Fou had informed him that no one had arrived. What did this mean? Did it mean there was dissension in his own regiment? Was somebody within the government working for the T'ien Ti? Zuko massaged his temple as these troubling thoughts coursed through his mind like a turbulent river.

"I need to return to the capital" he murmured, more to himself, than Sui.

The prince glanced at Sui before turning his weary amber eyes to his pale hands.

"Have you..."

The prince's voice suddenly died in his throat, and Zuko coughed to clear it. Sui looked at him, giving him her full attention

"Have you ever thought about what you were going to do now?"

Sui sighed and returned her hazel eyes to her dagger.

"If you're referring to which side I'm going to choose" she said. "I won't just abandon T'ien Ti"

Zuko spluttered and turned to face her with wide, stupendous eyes.

"Wh-what?" he stuttered.

"But I thought-"

"Thought what?" said Sui, she did not sound angry, but rather, amused. "That I would just abandon the group who took me and my mother in when we had nowhere to go? You though that I would betray the organisation who provided me and my mother food to eat, a place to stay and a job to earn money?"

Sui got to her feet and stretched her limbs, a clear attempt to avoid the intense stare the prince was giving her.

"Look prince, it's not like I don't sympathise with you, because I do. I can tell that your life has been rough"

She glanced at his scar as she said those words and visibly shuddered.

"And I admire your ideals, I admire the fact that you want to rebuild this country and teach the people to live a life without war. But the T'ien Ti gave me everything when I had nothing they saved me and my mother when we were homeless, starving and nearly dying"

She paused to let these words sink in.

"I won't be standing here if it weren't for them"

Zuko huffed and turned away, he was torn between choking Sui and sighing in disappointment. For a moment, he had been convinced that she would help him, he had relished the thought of converted an enemy into a friend but it did not seem to be the case. Zuko got to his feet, keeping them wide apart, in case Sui decided to attack. She had probably brought him here so that he could see the T'ien Ti attacking the Dragon Regiment.

"If you intend to stay with the T'ien Ti" he said, his voice dangerously soft. "What happens to me?"

Sui turned to look at him with a sardonic smile on her face.

"You get to escape.... with what's left of your regiment of course"

Zuko narrowed his eyes at her, not believing her words

"I told you that I admire you, prince" she said. "You're interesting, you're of royal blood but at the same time, you don't act like it. So by releasing you, I'm giving you a second chance, you should take it"

Zuko glared at the woman he thought he could trust.

"It's not like I'm betraying you" said Sui, as if reading Zuko's mind. "I never said that I would join you, I just think that a guy as idealistic and visionary as you should have a better end than the one you would have had if you had been in our hands"

Sui turned back to him.

"There is a concealed staircase over there" she said gesturing in a vague direction to her left. "Unlike the other passageways it isn't concealed by a tunnel, it's open air so you'll be able to tell if you're going in the right direction"

Zuko glanced in the direction Sui indicated before turning back to her.

"What will T'ien Ti do to you when they find out that you had let me escape?"

"You see" said Sui, and a sardonic grin spread across her features. "That's where I need your help"

Before Zuko could comprehend the meaning behind her words, she was running at him with daggers in both hands. Zuko barely leapt out of the way, the prince stumbled as he dogged the attack. To his surprise, Sui did not follow through with her attack.

"What are you doing?" he gasped.

"You need to hurt me" she did not batter an eyelash, as she said these words.

"What in Agni's name are you talking about?" hissed Zuko.

"I need to prove to everyone that you fought your way out of prison" she replied.

By 'everyone' he knew that she was referring to the T'ien Ti.

"I can barely _move_" he snapped. "How am I suppose to hurt you?"

Sui shrugged. "I'll go easy on you" she said. "And you can use your firebending"

Zuko took a deep breath and felt the familiar power coursing through his veins, it was hard to describe the sensation, it was like a river of pure energy flowing through his body, flowing towards the tips of his fingers and unleashing it's power in the form of fire. Whatever they had done to seal his firebending was fading away.

"This is insane" said Zuko.

"But necessary" came the reply. "Now get ready"

Once again, Sui charged but Zuko was ready this time, he unleashed a torrent of flame. Sui's eyes widened in surprise, she leapt aside and was just able to avoid the fire. For a moment, the two stood there staring at one another, slowly, Sui's hand went up to her left cheek, a small, raw red mark marred her pale skin. She had been burned, Zuko began to splutter a strew of apologies.

"I... I am sorry, I didn't mean to...." he trailed off when he saw the smile on Sui's face.

"Don't apologise" she said. "This is the whole point of our excursion"

Zuko resolutely shook his head.

"I am not doing this" he said, resolutely. "It's not honourable to hit a woman"

Sui rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't be surprised if you find yourself in pieces"

She charged again, desperate to keep her away, Zuko unleashed a stream of fire from his fist, Sui sidestepped the element and Zuko followed her, determined to keep this woman at bay. Realizing that range would not get her anywhere, Sui leapt into the air, directly above Zuko's head. Instead of sending a ball of flame at her, Zuko leapt aside and launched a well placed kick to her ribs. The impact sent a sharp pain up his leg but it also sent Sui flying backwards.

Zuko stood where he was, resisting the urge to hold his leg, waiting for Sui to recover from the painful blow.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" said Zuko.

Sui's silence was all the confirmation he needed. As the stood there in silence, a loud sound filled Zuko's ears.

Zuko immediately recognised the sound and his heart lurched with dread. Forgetting about Sui, Zuko turned around and ran towards the mountain edge. The sound once again, reverberating through the mountainside, it was a deep, low monotone, like that of a bullfrog. Zuko could feel his heart hammering loudly against his chest.

"What happened?"

It was Sui, she had gotten to her feet, one pale hand clutching her ribs.

"My regiment lost" said Zuko.

"What?"

"The horn is rung to signal a retreat"

As if to clarify Zuko's words, the horn's deep low sound rung through the mountainside.

"You have to go" said Sui, a note of panic in her voice. "If the regiment is retreating they'll probably leave Sozin altogether, if that happens we'll both be in big trouble"

Zuko turned to look at the woman who stood eye-to-eye with him.

"Sui, you _have _to come with me" said Zuko.

"We've already had this conversation" said Sui, rolling her eyes. "There isn't much time to argue"

Zuko did not budge.

"But what about the T'ien Ti? Do you honestly think they'll let this pass? No one will believe you when you say that-"

"Don't worry about me, prince" said Sui. "You have an entire country to be concerned about. I can take care of myself"

"But-"

Zuko did not get to finish his sentence, he saw a pale blur, a sudden pain in his neck and before he realized it, he was in a world of darkness.

* * *

_A/N: I hope that part with Lee in the battlefield didn't put anyone off. It is after all a battle and there is some brutality in the midst of a fight and I was trying to bring that out. Let me know what you guys think. _


	17. Standing At The Door

_A/N: Wow, I'm just blown away by the feedback and all the praise I've got, seriously, you reviewers (and I mean all of you, no exceptions) Have got to be the best bunch of reviewers anyone could ask for. Thanks to you guys, this story is gathering a lot of momentum. I'm aiming for over a 100 reviews with this story, I already have 76 so it's just _34_ more needed and I'm really hoping that you, the readers can help me out. Of course, I know just can't ask for more reviews I need to give you guys a REASON to review. _

_With that said, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. _

_

* * *

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_**Chapter 16 – Standing At The Door**_

With each day that passed, Iroh was starting to hate his position as FireLord. The old man could clearly recall his youthful days when he would frequently dream about holding the crown and ruling his nation in the way his father had done.

"The dreams of the young know no end nor limitation" muttered the weary man.

Despite, his growing dislike for the position he held, Iroh did not complain, not even to himself, he had known what the situation in the country was like when he had accepted the throne and knew that his rule would be volatile and stressful. The Dragon of the West knew that his destiny had always been to help his young nephew through the turbulent times of his youth, as Zuko was destined to be the crown jewel of a new era of peace and harmony.

The Dragon of the West, put down the scroll that had been the nightmare of his week and crossed over from his desk to the window that guided light into his office. Recent events had disturbed him at times of late, almost of week ago, he had received a letter from Zuko stating that the city of Sozin had already been in pieces when they had arrived, and to make matters worse, the other two regiments had not arrived as was planned, even though he had received notes stating that they had been in the city. Iroh was quick to put two and two together, whoever had attacked the city had in all probability tampered with the communications and was probably hiding in the fortress that was the Dai Chi Mountains. Iroh now realized that the day he had feared for so long was now approaching and fast. It was the reason why he contacted the Avatar and his friends, Zuko would need friends who were both loyal and resourceful. The fact that they had no other political interest other than to help their friend was also an added bonus.

A knock on the door, jarred Iroh out of his pensive state and he turned around to face the door.

"Enter"

The door opened to reveal the squat form of the chamberlain.

"Your Flameship" said the chamberlain, in a deep sombre voice. "Minister Jeong Jeong is here to see you"

Iroh's eye considerably widened at those words.

"Send him in" he stated.

The chamberlain bowed out of sight , Iroh heard a brief shuffling of footsteps and the former General stood at the doorway. Iroh immediately crossed the room and enveloped the man into a tight embrace. Jeong Jeong stood stiff as a board, the man had never been comfortable with physical contact with men and that notion was unlikely to change at his age. Iroh broke the hug and held the taller man at arms length.

"How are you, my friend?"

Jeong Jeong huffed, as if irritated.

"Disappointed" he said. "If you're going to try and assassinate a Minister at least put some effort into it"

Iroh couldn't help the growing smile on his face, only Jeong Jeong would be disappointed at the thought of a failed attempt on his life.

"Be fortunate that they failed" he said, in a grave voice. "But you can expect something much more discreet, so be on your guard"

Jeong Jeong merely nodded.

"We also need to keep this away from the other Ministers" continued Iroh. "The last thing I need is people resigning over this"

Jeong Jeong understood the unsaid.

"You suspect that some of them are working for this faction"

Iroh nodded. "That is a very likely scenario, but you were able to find out why it is that the two regiments that were supposed to make it to Sozin were not there at the designated time?"

Jeong Jeong nodded.

"I fear that our communications are being tampered with"

Iroh's eyes widened in horror.

"What?"

"The captains of each regiment each received a letter stating that they were to leave for Sozin, _a week _after the original date we had set"

Iroh felt the tendrils of weariness claw at his head and he wished that he had some tea with him, he knew that this day would come sooner or later, but it was still hard to accept the facts.

"I've checked the validity of the documents and the stamps were fake" said Jeong Jeong. "But good enough to fool the naked eye, anyone who receives a letter like that would be inclined to follow the orders it states regardless of what it says"

Iroh nodded, understanding the meaning behind those words.

"You're saying that any moment, regiments could receive word to carry out orders that we did not authorise"

"We must act before it comes to that"

Iroh nodded, in agreement. "But first I need to talk to the people who have had direct interaction with this unknown faction"

"The Dragon Regiment?"

Iroh nodded.

"Zuko has sent me word saying that he is coming back to discuss certain matters"

Jeong Jeong nodded, his face as stern as ever. Iroh sometimes wondered how it was that Jeong Jeong could frown like that all day and still not get any wrinkles.

"I suggest that we call _them" _he said.

Iroh sighed in disappointment, knowing who Jenog Jeong was referring to.

"I do not wish to use our brothers and sisters like this, but the stability of the Fire Nation maybe at stake"

Iroh dug deep into the sleeve of his robes and pulled out a pai sho tile. Both men stared at the tile, as if it were a rare and exquisite jewel, both men knew the meaning behind the tile and what it symbolised and both men knew that after years of fighting and hardship, they were about to be pulled into yet another battle.

* * *

The sky was a dull shade of grey that grew darker as time passed, as if inviting a fierce storm to oppress the bright sunlight and blue skies that was usually the norm of the year. The sea, much like the sky, was an intimidating shade of grey, the waves swirled in restless torrents and whirlpools, dull but angry, calm but frustrated. A wind blew across the sky and skimming the ocean adding further turmoil to the already restless sea, the wind was not strong enough to uproot trees and destroy houses but to an experienced sailor it was a sign that a storm was approaching.  
Toph could sense the approaching storm, it weighed on her mind like a severe cold and she was glad that they had decided to stop on an island and make camp, even if Aang's main concern had been Appa getting wet. Toph shook her head wistfully, as she thought about the rest of the group, she had no clue what could have happened to the rest of them. It seemed like everyone had their own problems and was too preoccupied to partake in the dynamic group that they had once been. Frankly, Toph was not bothered with Sokka's problems, whatever it was, he had Suki to help deal with them. The person who Toph was truly worried about was Aang.

The young Avatar had locked himself in Avatar Kyoshi's shrine until the last possible moment, when he had appeared, as gloomy as the weather. Aang had refused to talk to anyone about his problems, keeping everyone including Sweetness at bay. That had been two days ago, and Toph felt that he had ample time to get past whatever had been bothering him and _talk _to someone about it, but he was stubborn person by nature and clung to the veil of gloom as if it were a life line.  
Aang would spend hours away from the camp and when he did return, it was only during mealtimes and even then, he hardly spoke to anyone. Katara, as far as Toph knew, was content to wait until Aang came to her to talk about what was troubling him. Toph on the other hand, was not as patient, she was worried about him (though she would never admit it out loud) because this was not the Aang she knew, the Aang she knew was in your face, a soft-hearted but smiling man. Yes, he would get hurt easily, and he had a bad habit of letting his problems run him down but he was still her beloved friend and it was up to her to go give him a good kick in his butt every time he let life run him down.

Which was why she was trudging through sand to get to him, whatever walls he had put up, she, Toph Bei Fong was going to break through them.

The earthbender could sense his presence near the beach, it was a knack that she had developed over the past year when she travelled alone with him, it had nothing to do with the almost non-existent noises he made with his feet, nor did it have anything to do with his heartbeat or even smell. Toph could tell where he was by simply _sensing _his presence. It was as if she had developed a sixth sense meant to home in on him. Toph could feel his presence grow stronger, as she approached and sat down next to him. Toph's impeccable hearing told her that they were close to the beach, perhaps only a step or two away from the water. Toph could feel him shifting restlessly through the sand and she instinctively knew what she was going to do. Acting quickly, she reached across him and snatched his glider.

"Hey!" snapped an indignant Aang. "Give that back! It's mine!"

"What are you going to do?" she said, with a grin on her face. "Call for Mommy and make _her _give it back to me?"

Aang huffed and she could feel him turn away.

"Fine. Do what you want"

Toph smiled at him.

"Okay"

Silence fell between the two of them, Toph stretched her arms and cracked her knuckles, she was determined to snap Aang out of his broody silence, even if it meant sitting through the coming storm. The silence continued to stretch on, but neither of them moved or spoke, Toph refused to back down or leave, not when she had initiated the challenge. They were playing a game, a game of willpower and Toph would be damned if she lost to an _airbender_, a beloved airbender, but nonetheless an airbender. Toph, in a manner typical of an earthbender, did not flinch, even when the first sound of thunder cracked open the skies. After what seemed like days, Aang finally broke the silence between them.

"What are you doing here, Toph?" he said, softly.

Toph resisted the urge to smirk, she did not come here to play games.

"Trying to get you to talk" she stated, in her blunt manner.

"What if I don't want to talk?" said Aang.

Toph only shrugged.

"No worries, I'll be sitting next to you until you are ready"

Silence fell between the two of them, Toph listened to the wind that was gaining momentum with each passing minute. After a while, Aang spoke in a soft voice.

"Toph, do you think I'm weak?"

Toph was surprised by the question, and for a moment she was stunned into an awkward silence. Through the haze of the sand, Toph could tell that Aang's heartbeat was going into overdrive. Not knowing what Aang was getting at, Toph decided to deflect the question.

"Why would I think you're weak?" she said, in an apprehensive voice.

"It's just that.... I've been thinking" his voice was a mix of sadness, confusion and.... frustration?

"About what?"

Aang didn't respond immediately, it was as if he was having an internal conflict about whether to open up to Toph or to keep her at bay. Unfortunately for him, Toph was not leaving until she got a few answers.

"Toph, please answer the question"

Toph frowned as Aang continued to speak.

"Do you think I'm weak?"

"Of course you're not weak" said Toph, wondering what he was getting at. "I mean, you're the Avatar, you know, four elements, going glowy"

Aang let out a low growl and Toph jumped in surprise, since when did Aang openly express his frustration?

"Did you just _growl _at me?" she said, her tone much higher than she wanted it to be.

"Yes, I just growled at you" snapped Aang, who didn't seem to be backing down. "Because you only seem to think I'm strong because I'm the Avatar!"

Toph was so surprised by Aang's words that she did not notice her mouth hanging open, which was rare. Taking advantage of her temporary immobility, Aang leaned over and snatched his glider.

"Tell the others I'll be back soon"

Aang's words seemed to have put some sense back into her. Was _he, _the passive, non-aggressive, gentle airbender blowing _her _off.

"No!"

Toph stomped on the sand and the glider sank until half the staff was embedded into the sand.

"You're _not _running away!" she snapped. "And you're sure as hell, not going to blow me off, I'm Toph Bei Fong, Aang, your earthbending sifu, not your mother! You don't get to throw a big tantrum and then run away like some child! You've been sulking around these past two days, about _Spirit's knows what! _And you're dragging everyone down into this hell hole that you've created overnight. Enough sulking Aang!"

_It's time to talk about what's been bothering you. _But she chose not to utter those words out aloud. Aang stopped struggling to pry the glider off the sand, and Toph was secretly thankful that Aang couldn't sandbend (though she would never admit it) With an angry huff he sat on the ledge.

"It's just..." he said. "It's just that I've been thinking about what it means to be an Avatar"

Toph did not say anything but nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"Do you remember the time when Azula shot me in the back?"

Toph nodded, not trusting her voice to speak. Even today, the distant memory from two years ago still brought out strong feelings. Toph couldn't remember a time when she had been more terrified, she never told anyone how she felt probably because everyone was much more concerned about Aang. Besides, even if anyone bothered to talk to her, they would not be able to understand how she truly felt. After everyone had gotten over the initial shock, there remained nothing but mere concern about how the injury would affect Aang's fighting prowess. But Toph was shaken to her soul and did not get over her earth quaking fear until the day Aang opened his eyes. While everyone had seen the wound on his back and said it was dangerous, Toph could _feel _him straddling that fine line between life and death. It was one thing to look at a wound and say 'That was dangerous' It was another thing, to feel how the body was affected by that wound, to feel the faint pulse and sense the heartbeat that was so weak that she had trouble hearing it. The worst part was, she had been helpless, she, the greatest earthbender in the world and the only metalbender in history was helpless to save a dear friend. Unlike Katara, Toph did not see Aang as the world's only hope (and frankly, she did not care) She had only seen him as a dear friend, a friend who had given her the greatest gift ever, the gift of freedom and he had been one step away from death.

But Toph did not tell Aang any of this, she merely nodded her head in assent.

"Yeah, I remember"

"While I was unconscious I visited all my past lives in the Spirit World, and they all told me the mistakes they made and one of them told me something that's very important"

"What's that?" said Toph, resisting the urge to yawn. "That the Avatar was born human for a reason, so that we could feel like humans do, we can make mistakes like humans do"

"Jee, that sounds" _Like the worst job prerequisite there ever was "_Interesting"

Toph felt Aang's eyes on her, as he continued to speak.

"I was just thinking, what is it that makes me the Avatar, is it because I am the bridge between this world and the Spirit World? Is it the Avatar State? Is it simply because I'm a human gifted with the four elements?"

He paused before adding. "Or is it because I'm the last airbender"

Toph shrugged not knowing how to answer, she had never cared about the Avatar State and what it meant for Aang other than it being a major power boost. After a while, she spoke.

"I can really tell that Sweetness has rubbed off on you"

Aang scowled.

"What?" he said, sounding annoyed.

"Sorry" said Toph, with a small smirk on her face. "Since when you were so concerned about _what makes you the Avatar? _If you were so concerned about that then Ozai would have had his head handed to him on a sliver platter"

Aang shook his head.

"It's different now..."

"How? Even though everyone and I mean _everyone _told you to give the guy a classic one-two you still ended things on your terms the way you wanted to. Since when were you so concerned about _the Avatar State _and _the bridge to the Spirit World, _honestly, Twinkles, this is why I don't do philosophy, too much thinking, too little action"

Aang let out a soft chuckle.

"Since when did you get so smart, Toph?"

Toph ignored the last comment.

"Listen Twinkles, I don't know what happened to get you thinking like this, and knowing you, it must have been something pretty big to get that airhead of yours out of the clouds"

Had Toph been able to see, she would have seen Aang roll his big, grey eyes.

"But there's no need to be worrying about it"

"Why?"

"Because you've always done things on your own terms" she said, endearingly. "No matter what everyone said, no matter what everyone expected of you, you've always managed to do things your way and also happen to save the world in the process. Think about it for a moment, who else would let their former enemy become their bending sifu? Who else would look to spare an evil tyrant his life even though he didn't deserve it? Who else would entrust the fate of the world to a group of teenagers? Don't you see Aang? All these things had nothing to do with the fact that you're the Avatar or a monk for that matter, but it had everything to do with who _you _are. You may not be the Avatar without the ability to bend the four elements, but you're still Aang, the guy who looks to keep the ways of his people alive and is loyal to the people he loves and loves the world like it's his very own family"

Aang smiled at her.

"You still didn't answer the question though"

Toph frowned and smacked him on the forehead.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"I just answered your question, dimwit" snapped Toph, all trace of her gentle tone vanishing in an instant. "Weak and strong is not about your bending ability or your physical strength" she snapped. "Look at Sparky, he was a real sissy compared to his psycho, ass kicking sister, but the guy had the strength to go through _everything_ thrown at him, including being exiled by his own father. Whereas she broke down the moment she encountered her first trial, betrayal by her friends"

Tophpaused to let her words take effect.

"You may not be as large as the Boulder, but you have a big heart that doesn't waver in the face of hardship and _that _is what is strong about you"

With those words, Toph got to her feet.

"Think about what I said, and come back to the camp _only _when you've gotten over yourself" She raised her voice to overcome Aang's retort. "Everyone else has taken a trip to Emo Land I don't need any depression from you either. Seriously, if I sense that _I wanna commit suicide _aura on you, I'll earthbend you right into the ocean"

A small voice at the back of Toph's head told her that her threat was redudant seeing as Aang could bend water, but she choose to ignoreit. Having said her piece. Toph whirled around and began to make her way back to the camp, she was fed up with Aang's attitude, life was full of hardships and he had to learn to deal with it on his own, but she simply couldn't wait around and be Miss Comfort Pillow for him, even if Katara was far too preoccupied to play that role. Being blunt was the only way to deal with Aang.

Toph was pulled out of her thoughts by a familiar voice calling out to her.

"Toph, wait"

Toph sighed but choose to ignore the call.

_I ain't hanging around with a soft monk for a minute longer _she thought to herself.

"Sifu Toph, please wait!"

Toph had no intention of stopping, unfortunately, her legs had different intentions. Against her will, she stood still and waited for the monk to join her. A moment later, she felt Aang's presence in front of her.

"Thanks"

Toph was stunned, that was not the response she was expecting.

"Did you just _thank _me?"

"Yeah, you really put in perspective for me" he said. "You're right, I'm the Avatar because I _choose _to be the Avatar, I may have been with the ability to bend the four elements, but I made the choice how to learn and from whom, I may not have killed Ozai like everyone wanted to me do but I was able to find a way to satisfy everyone and me. I don't need to worry about what makes me the Avatar, I just need to remind myself that I was Aang before I became the Avatar and that should never change no matter what"

Toph smiled at him.

"Does this mean you're back to normal?"

Aang laughed and somehow it sounded like music to Toph's ears, she never thought that she would miss that laugh but recently she had realized that she preferred a smiling, goofy Aang to the moody persona that had taken over during the past couple of days.

"I guess you can say that" he said.

A momentary pause followed before Aang spoke again.

"I need to go back to the camp and see Katara, we haven't spoken since we left the Water Tribe"

Toph frowned, somehow, the mention of the blue eyed girl seemed to have ruined the moment between them.

"Yipee for you" murmured Toph.

"I also have to go to apologise to Appa, Momo, Sokka and Suki..."

Toph huffed and a stray bang temporarily flew off her forehead, before flopping lifelessly onto her head. Aang knew what that gesture meant.

"What?" he said, with a hint of exasperation.

"Nobody's really missed you" said Toph. "Apparently, they've decided to take a leaf from your book and took a trip to Emo Land. They haven't been back since"

"Really? So some thing's wrong with Katara?"

Toph gave a non-committal jerk of her shoulders.

"More or less"

A brief silence ensured, and Toph could tell that he was nodding resolutely.

"I'm going to talk to her"

Toph gave a shrug that said 'Better you than me'

"Thanks, Sifu T"

"You're welcome, my hopeless student"

Toph could feel Aang's scowling gaze on her, before he broke out into a laugh.

"After two years nothing has changed has it, Sifu T? I may have mastered earthbending but I still need you now more than ever I did back then"

For some reason, those words made her heart jump and she whirled around to face him, but he was already making his way towards the camp. Her heart beating unusually fast, Toph sat down trying to ponder the meaning behind Aang's words and what had motivated them and more importantly, why did she have such a strong reaction?

"Damn, Twinkles, is making me soft"

* * *

Katara continued to stir the soup with her bending, she was certain that her friends would want something warm tonight, and it was relatively simple to make.

Having travelled around the world for nearly two years straight, Katara was not ignorant of the ominous signs of an approaching storm and was not intimidated at the prospect of being drenched in ice, cold water, on the contrary, the thought thrilled her. What worried the young waterbender was the possibility that their journey would be further delayed because nobody in the group (herself included) wanted Appa to fly under such conditions. Fortunately, they were able to find a small island on which they could camp on.

The island was a source of great encouragement for Katara, for not only did it mean resting Appa, but also because it was a sign that they were drawing closer and closer to the Fire Nation. Katara only hoped that Zuko could hold out against what was troubling him until they reached their intended destination. As usual, whenever the waterbender thought about Zuko, she would be assaulted with memories of their time together. The memories would cause her pulse to quicken and her heart to beat faster, feelings which she had not felt in a long time would return in full swing as if they had never faded away.  
What was her heart trying to tell her? That she had always had feelings for Zuko, despite the six months that they had been apart? Katara knew that it was not possible, how could you have strong feelings for someone whom you haven't seen in half a year? Katara was torn between excitement and dread at the thought of seeing him again. The situation was still ambiguous for neither looked to clear the air between them, they had broken up and left it at that without trying to solve anything. At the time she had been too angry at him to care, angry that he did not try to stop her when she said the words that ended their relationship, angry that he did not try to work things out, angry that he gave her nothing but illusions, angry that he did not care. The soup begin to slosh around in the pot, but Katara was too deep in thought to notice. The waterbender thought about the day they would eventually reunite.

_How would he react? _She thought. _Would he say anything to me? Would he even look at me? Will everyone else notice? _

Katara's gentle face was creased by the frown on her face as she thought hard about the things she couldn't control.

"Where's Aang and his annoying monk sayings when you need it?" she murmured to herself.

Aang had not spoken to her about what was bothering him ever since he had reappeared from Kyoshi's shrine, and was dragging his problems around with him. The prospect of meeting her ex and a gloomy Avatar was bad enough without Suki and Sokka's problems to add to the mix.

Katara could still remember their last night in Kyoshi, Sokka had shown up at their sleeping quarters, desolate but ready to bite off anyone's head if given the opportunity. The waterbender knew that he had found out about Suki's 'dates' and for the first time since she had known her brother, her heart went out to him. Then on the day, they were to leave, Suki had shown up with her backpack with the intention of going _with _them to the Fire Nation. Katara felt that it was a bad idea from the start, but to her utter surprise (as well as Suki's) Sokka had defended her decision to come with them. The pair of them were currently somewhere on the island, Katara had no idea just what exactly they were doing but she hoped that they would be back before the storm began. Aang too had chosen to disappear and Toph had gone to look for him, leaving her all alone in the camp. Katara sighed, as the wind caressed her dark hair, their group was falling apart, everyone, including herself were drowning in their thoughts. Toph seemed to be the only normal one in the group, and you had to be pretty far gone to be worse than Toph.

"Katara"

The waterbender spun around at the mention of her name. Aang was standing behind her, one look at him and Katara could tell that he had not been sleeping well, dark circles could be seen beneath around his eyes that clashed with his pale skin.

"Aang, have you been sleeping at all?" asked Katara, walking up to him.

Aang shook his head. "Not really" he said. "There's been a lot on my mind"

Katara simply nodded, not knowing what else to say.

"Katara, do you think I'm weak?"

It took a second for the words to sink in, and when they did, she visibly recoiled.

"Weak?" she said, surprise etched into her voice. "What are you saying Aang?"

Aang shrugged. "It was a question, Katara and I really would like to hear an answer, an _honest _answer"

The waterbender stood there ignoring the flash of thunder across the skies, as she pondered her words. Katara had no idea what to say, Aang had never questioned his strength because to him it did not matter whether he was strong or not.

"What's going on, Aang?" she said. "Why are you asking me that?"

Aang frowned before giving a casual shrug.

"Katara it's just a question, why don't you give me a proper answer?"

_It's a question that Zuko is more likely to ask s_he thought to herself, but did not voice this opinion.

"Of course Aang" she said, flashing a smile that usually made one of the boys in her tribe trip over their feet, not that she was hoping Aang would fall for it. "You're strong, you're one of the strongest people out there"

The look on Aang's face revealed exactly how he felt about the answer.

"I _know _I'm the Avatar, Katara" he said, his voice laced with pain and... disappointment. "What I'm trying to say is.... if you think I wasn't the Avatar, without the four elements, without the Avatar State. Would I still be weak?"

Katara's jaw hit the ground, she had never thought that in a million years, Aang would never ask such a question, and quite frankly (this shocked her even more) _she had no answer_. Katara had never thought of Aang as weak, but to her, the power (and responsibility) of being the Avatar always went hand in hand with the character that was Aang, to her, there was no difference between them, there was no boundary between the two entities, one began where one ended. Not knowing what to say and unable to stand the look on his face, Katara turned around.

"Dinner's ready" she whispered.

Behind her, she heard Aang sigh in disappointment.

"Yeah. I'm pretty hungry"

Katara closed her eyes to shut out the tears, as Aang walked past her without so much as a glance.

Only one thought was going through her mind.

_What's happening to us? _

_

* * *

  
_

"I thought you were suppose to be good at this" said Suki, as she watched the rabbit-squirrel that Sokka had allegedly trapped escape into some undergrowth.

Sokka dived after the small animal and groaned in frustration, as he failed to reach it through the undergrowth.

"Why are even doing this?" said Suki, as Sokka got to his feet, brushing dirt off his clothes. "Katara is already making dinner"

"Without any meat!" cried Sokka. "There can be no dinner without a good portion of meat"

Suki shook her head, Sokka saw her and frowned.

"Why are you here anyway? It's not like I asked you to come?"

Suki frowned at him, choosing to ignore the pang she felt at those words, he knew that he was referring to her decision to come with them to the Fire Nation.

"There are some things that you and I need to discuss" she said.

Sokka froze at these words and Suki could tell that he had gone stiff.

"You make us sound like an old couple" Was the only thing he could say.

Suki chose to ignore those words.

"About the other day..."

"I don't want to talk about it" he said, and there was a hint of finality in his voice. "Not now, Suki"

The Kyoshi warrior sighed, she knew better than to force the issue on Sokka, but she did not regret her decision to come with them, not when her boyfriend and friends were heading towards danger. Suki decided to give him space, because Sokka was the kind of person who needed space, needed to be alone with his thoughts when it came to life changing decisions.

Suki nodded.

"All right" she conceded. "We'll talk when you're ready"

Sokka nodded, though he did not say anything. Suki turned away and had taken a few steps before she stopped, feeling the sudden urge to say something.

"Whatever happens, Sokka, I still like you and I really do care about you"

Silence, Suki frowned in confusion.

"Sokka?"

"Gotcha!"

The Kyoshi Warrior whirled around to see Sokka choking the life out of the rabbit-squirrel that had nearly escaped him seconds ago.

"Hmm..." he mused, as the rabbit-squirrel kicked weakly at him. "Meat..."

Suki shook her head and walked away, partly because she did not want to witness the death of a cute, innocent creature but also because Sokka was too far gone to notice her at the moment.

* * *

The first thing he felt upon opening his eyes was a burning hunger that threaten to eat away at his stomach. Zuko groaned and lifted an arm that felt like lead and dropped it onto his skinny stomach. The prince kept his eyes closed, hoping that his body would ignore the hunger and go back to sleep. It did not occur to him to look at his surroundings and get an idea of where he was. Zuko would have preferred to sleep at the moment, sleep was like a lover, warm, inviting and extremely satisfying but his hunger was too great to ignore, he was certain that his stomach would prevent him from getting the most out of his sleep. With an air of great reluctance, Zuko turned around, hoping to see some food. Not too far from his bed, was a reed basket no further than an arm's reach from him. Curious, Zuko reached out and lifted the basket, wondering what was underneath it, he was immediately assaulted with a heavenly aroma that consisted of vegetables, meat and spices. For a moment, Zuko stared at the neatly assorted dishes of rice, meat and vegetables, as if he had just discovered utopia. The smell of food drove all rational thought from the prince's mind, diving forward like a crazed animal. Zuko grabbed the bowl of food, he grabbed fistfuls of rice before shoving it into his mouth, when the bowl was almost empty he put it aside and reached towards the meaty looking dish.

"Slowly"

The voice was low but clear. Zuko looked up to see a familiar figure standing before him.

"You'll want to eat slowly, my prince" said the man. "Or you'll throw up that food and it would be a shame to let all that good food go to waste" It took Zuko a moment to recognise the man who was speaking to him.

"Lee"

Realization hit him like a hurricane, and he felt shame slither through his insides like a snake. Zuko looked up to see Lee smiling at his awkward disposition.

"Wipe that smirk of your face, Lieutenant" snapped Zuko, he was determined to remind him who was boss.

Lee smiled and raised his hands in surrender.

"You have some rice around your chin" he said.

Zuko hastily wiped his mouth using the back of his hand. The prince noticed the chopsticks that were lying next to the bowls and immediately grabbed them before taking the bowl full of meat, he then began to eat in a more civilized manner, savouring the taste and resisting the urge to stuff the entire dish down his throat. Lee watched him with a bemused look on his face, Zuko noticed his stare and spoke.

"Is there something you wish to tell me?"

Lee shook his head. "Not until you've fully recovered"

"I feel just fine, _Lieutenant_"said Zuko, putting emphasis on Lee's rank so as to remind him where his place was. "Tell me everything, I was at the Dai Chi mountain stronghold, fighting for my life. Now I'm here..."

Lee's smirk suddenly disappeared and Zuko knew that he had bad news to give.

"Lieutenant, I want your report, now"

The possibility of bad news agitated Zuko but it made Lee all the more apprehensive. The two stared at each other for a while, wondering what course of action to take. Lee thought that is was best not to defy a direct order and spoke.

"Two days ago" said the Lieutenant. "The rebels launched an attack, on the Dragon Regiment as expected. We were unable to defeat them and had to retreat"

Zuko remembered the hearing the horn that signalled the retreat.

"What of the people?"

"We were able to evacuate the civilians as we fought" said Lee.

Zuko nodded.

"There's something else"

Zuko looked up, his gut feeling telling him that what Lee was about to say was not good.

"While you were gone, a scroll wrapped in blue ribbon was sent here via messenger hawk. Since you were gone, I opened the scroll" Zuko raised an eyebrow.

"You broke the law" he stated blandly.

Lee looked taken aback, as if he was expecting a different response, instead of saying anything, he choose to continue his report.

"The scroll turned out to be a map of the Dai Chi mountains sent by FireLord Iroh, it had everything, the passageways, the tunnels, the rooms... everything"

Zuko stiffened at these words, able to pick up the unsaid.

_He knew _thought Zuko. _He knew that there was a battle coming! _

"Am I right in assuming" hissed Zuko. "That you _knew _that the battle was coming and you choose to fight it out, _anyway_"

Zuko's voice had gone cold, he was not shouting, he was not even raising his voice but somehow, his words chilled Lee to the bone and he was reminded why Zuko was the leader of the Dragon regiment and he was the subordinate. It was during moments like these when Zuko was at his most intimidating.

"Are you telling me" hissed Zuko, in a low dangerous voice. "Thatyou knew that you couldn't win the battle, knew that you wouldn't win and you remianed behind to fight, _anyway? Are you trying to say that _ _murder _was the best choice you had?"

Lee frowned, not liking the way Zuko had worded his actions.

"With all due respect, sir" said Lee. "What else would you have had me done?"

"Negotiate" said Zuko, at once. "You could have come to an agreement with those people, there was no need to do battle with them they were after all Fire Nation civilians, not the enemy"

"I would have considered it if-"

"Not would have, Lee, _should _have considered the option but you didn't. You felt the need to charge recklessly into battle"

Zuko's voice rose steadily with each word and he noticed Lee's amber eyes flaring up at what he had said.

"Battle charged towards _us_" he said, his voice carrying a hint of the frustration he felt. "We were completely cornered, with thousands of refugees to be concerned about-"

"Save the excuses, Lieutenant!" snapped Zuko, steadily losing control of his temper. A small part of his mind told him that he was being unreasonable but he dismissed it, he was tired, hungry and frustrated at the events that took place during the past few days.

"You should have considered diplomacy, instead you choose to slaughter hundreds of Fire Nation civilians and put the lives of _my _regiment at stake"

Lee leapt to his feet.

"I had _no choice_" he said, clenching his fists. "You say I could have negotiated, negotiate with what? I had no leverage, nothing to pursue a deal. They on the other hand, not only had us surrounded but they had you as a hostage"

"Are you saying this is my fault!" yelled Zuko, leaping to his feet, .

Lee glared at Zuko, anger blazing in his eyes.

"I'm not saying that!" yelled Lee. "But you made the situation even worse when you decided to take a little trip to the mountains when I clearly told you not to!"

The two of them were so loud that their voices could be clearly heard by those outside, but at the moment, Zuko was too angry to care.

"THIS ISN'T MY FAULT!" he roared, for a moment, Lee was caught off guard and was disarmed of words. "ONLY I MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE I GO AND WHEN. I AM THE CROWN PRINCE, LEE!! AND YOU BETTER START TREATING ME LIKE ONE"

"I HAVEN'T TREATED YOU ANY DIFFERENT FROM WHEN I FIRST MET YOU!!!" roared Lee.

"THEN FOR AGNI'S SAKE START RESPECTING MY POLICIES, FIGHTING IS THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO AND YET YOU LOOK FOR ANY EXCUSE TO DRAW OUT THAT DAMN SWORD OF YOURS!!"

An eerie silence filled the air, as both men paused to catch their breath. The tension was a tangible presence in the air, it was so thick that it could have suffocated anyone who entered the tent at that moment.

"What the hell are you talking about when you say that I look for an excuse to draw my sword?" said Lee.

"I know you, Lee" hissed Zuko, both men may have lowered their voices but their tone was no less viscious. "For the past year that I have travelled with you, there has been this violent side to you that always looks for a reason to fight, I've seen you, whenever we were putting out riots in cities, how your hand would itch to go for your sword, regardless of whether the person charging at you was armed or not"

"So what exactly are you saying, _Prince _Zuko" hissed Lee. "That I'm some maniac who desires nothing more than to be covered in my enemy's blood?"

"No" replied Zuko. "I'm saying that deep down you enjoy fighting and killing and that you used this opportunity to sate that side of you, without considering the possibility that it wasn't needed"

For a moment, the two men glared at each other, as if trying to drill a hole into each other's skull. It was Lee who finally broke the silence.

"You can say whatever you want, prince" he said, in a tone that matched his expression, cold and uncaring. "But the reality is this: Civil war is upon us, we have lost a battle here, but the war has just begun and thinking of these people as _civilians _won't help you at all"

Before Zuko could open his mouth to respond, Lee turned around and walked out of the tent. Leaving Zuko alone to ponder those foreboding words.

* * *

Sui felt proud, she had no idea _why _she should feel proud but that distinct feeling in her chest told her that she had accomplished something great. Sui could not understand what she could have possibly done to feel proud. The T'ien Ti had won the battle, that was true, but she not taken part in the actual fighting. The Dragon Regiment had ran with their tails between their legs, that much was obvious, but that wasn't exactly something to be proud of, was it? Sui looked at the scene of devastation around her, men and women alike ran past her, but she stood where she was because she had not received any orders. The young woman twirled the dagger in her hand, as her thoughts turned to the prince.

Sui had never met a man like him in her life, perhaps it was because few men had undergone the hardships that the prince himself had undergone. Over the years, Sui had learnt to distinguish between truth and lies, and her gut feeling told her that Prince Zuko had been completely honest with the things he had said. The prince did intend to 'free the country' As he had put it and guide his nation through a rough transitional period from war to peace. Sui admired such ideals, especially when one promised to achieve them, but she still could not find it in her heart to let go of the dark events that haunted her past, she still could not forgive the royal family for what they had done to her family, and Prince Zuko, whoever he was, whatever he wanted to do, was the son of the man who had murdered her father.

But hearing about the prince's life, how he had been scarred by his own father and banished from his homeland, his words had stirred something in Sui, something one would akin to sympathy, for she too had been forced to wander from island to island like a stranger until she found a place she could live. Sui knew what it felt like to wander a land that you didn't know, uncertain of the future and perpetually wondering if your life would ever see the end of the dark tunnel. But Sui had managed to find a way out of the dark tunnel, she had been able to acquire a suitable job and settle down in an appropriate home. Just like Zuko had been able to fight his way through the tunnel and find his way home. Zuko had travelled the world to find himself, Sui had traversed the Fire Nation but the struggle and the conflict of feelings were similar. Sui had found someone who had suffered and persevered, just like her. When Sui had realized, this there had been a.... connection?

The young girl shook her head. _Not a connection.... more like an understanding. _

Sui had felt bad for the prince, a man who had struggled to overcome so much only to end up in the hands of an enemy he didn't know existed, it did not seem right to Sui and it had compelled the young woman to act.

Sui nodded in understanding.

_I did the right thing _she thought to herself. _He deserves a chance. _

"Sui!"

The young woman turned around at the mention of her name.

"Captain wants to see you"

The young woman nodded and followed her superior towards the fortress. As good her actions made her feel, Sui knew that she would have to face the consequences, and she knew that she would be facing the comeuppance of her life.

* * *

Lee slammed the door behind him as he left Zuko's room. Lee was furious, at the man who dare accused him off enjoying battle for the sake of killing.

"What's his problem?" he murmured to himself, as a gust of steam escaped his nostrils. "I'm not the one who got myself caught and he acts like he's got all the answers up his sleeve"

The Lieutenant saw two men coming down the corridor and he angrily shoved them aside before stomping his way towards the deck.

"Given the circumstances, I did the best I could and this is the thanks I get? That moron doesn't appreciate a thing I do around here"

Lee made his way onto the deck and paused in his step to appreciate the cool sea breeze but as soothing as the wind was, it was not enough to help him calm down.

"I wonder if his girlfriend feels the same way" he muttered, thinking about Mai. "Zuko doesn't seem to understand the art of human relationships"

Suddenly, a new voice rang through the night.

"Discontent among the ranks, I have a wealth of experience in that area"

Lee turned around at the speaker, fearing that he had been caught complaining about the man who was not only his superior but also his future ruler. Zac Fou was leaning against the railing of the ship, his beard and hair fluttering in the wind.

"What are you doing here?" said Lee with a hint of suspicion in his voice, he had been weary of the old man ever since the day he had asked those odd questions about him a few days ago.

Zac Fou merely shrugged.

"The sea breeze is soothing" he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Lee huffed and turned away, he could see two ships alongside their own, carrying the remains of the Dragon Regiment and the refugees from Sozin, the Lieutenant knew that there were many more behind, in front or on the otherside of their own ship and that all of them were cramped for room.

"I take it that the prince has finally woken up" said Zac Fou.

Lee did not respond, he was suspicious of this old man even though he had no real reason to be, call it paranoia, but Lee had grown up in the streets of North Chung-Ling, you did not survive that harsh environment unless you were suspicious of everyone until proven otherwise.

"You know, I once experienced the same problem as yours"

Lee turned to him with one eyebrow raised.

"What?"

Zac Fou gave Lee a toothy smile, the Lieutenant noticed that his teeth were perfectly aligned and glistened under the light of the setting sun.

"I once served in the army, in a position much like yourself"

Lee kept silent, it was no coincidence, that Zac Fou had been waiting for him here.

_What the heck does this old coot want from me? _He thought to himself.

"I had a Captain who did not appreciate a thing I did for him, despite going above and beyond the original orders"

Lee frowned at that statement, he hated to contemplate what Zac Fou meant by 'going above and beyond' orders.

"He did not acknowledge my accomplishments but was quick to criticise me any time I didn't do something to his liking"

"I thought you said that you always went above and beyond" said Lee.

Zac Fou chuckled. "Consistency is a hard thing to maintain" he said. "But I always tried my best.... yet it wasn't enough. So one day I decided to do something about it" Zac Fou paused, to let his words take effect. "I carried out a petition amongst the soldiers, and overwhelming majority supported me"

"Supported you for what?"

"That I be given the authority of captaincy without the title, a _de facto_ captain"

Lee frowned.

"That's high treason" he said.

"Not if the authorities don't know about it" came the reply.

"So you're saying that I should take over the regiment?" Lee shook his head. "Not happening"

"Why not?"

"Because..." Lee paused as he struggled to find the words. "Because, whatever said and done, whoever I was in the past. I am and always will be a man of my word and I swore to the prince that I would serve him loyally"

Lee turned to Zac Fou, giving him his full attention for the first time since the conversation began. "When I climb higher it will be because I earned it, not because I back stabbed my superior"

Lee finished his speech with a threatening glare that promised pain should Zac Fou start talking again. The old man shrugged.

"Very well" he said, in a dismissive tone. "You completely misunderstood what I was trying to say, but I will take my leave"

Zac Fou took a step back before bowing to the taller man and with those words he turned away and descended down the corridor that led to the interior of the ship. Lee sighed, as he leaned against the railway. Contrary, to what Zac Fou said, Lee understood what he was trying to get at and the Lieutenant had to concede that the old man had a point.

"If Zuko has forgotten how important I am" murmured Lee. "I'll have to do something in order to remind him"

* * *

_A/N: I know that people may be getting a little annoyed in seeing this constant reminder. But Please! Review! Thanks. _


	18. Standing At The Door II

_A/N: I want to give a shout out to Demac, doctor anthony, Turion and AnnaAza for their awesome reviews. Twenty more reviews to go guys!! _

* * *

**_Chapter 17 - Standing At The Door II_**

The night sky was brilliantly lit by the armada of stars that shown like pinpricks of light, twinkling in unison with the heartbeat of the earth. Zuko stared up at the night sky, his mind felt like a worn out machine, run down by disturbing thoughts and broken down due to a lack of peace. The prince stared up at into the night skies thinking about the events that had transpired this past week. When Zuko and the Dragon Regiment had first arrived at Sozin, he thought that he would be defending a city against possible threats along with two other regiments. When he had arrived at the city, it was nothing more than a smoking ruin, it's people living in filth because they were unable to rebuild. Then he had been captured and imprisoned at a time when his regiment needed dire leadership. When the final hour had arrived, his regiment had to go to battle without him at the helm and they had lost what was one of the important cities in the Fire Nation.

Zuko sighed as he shook his head, one way or another, he should have expected a battle to take place but if he was being honest with himself, Zuko was hoping that it wouldn't have come to a fight that they could have found a solution without the need to draw swords. Zuko did not want to get into a battle with his own people, he did not want to burn anyone with the flames he could conjure nor injure any person with his swords. But Lee's words from the previous night disturbed him because it was the truth. Everything the T'ien Ti had done, from attacking Sozin to kidnapping him had been done so that they could deal the first devastating blow to the royal family and those who served them. The Fire Nation was on the verge of a civil war, for all he knew, the T'ien Ti were probably planning their next assault.

Zuko stared out at the waves washing against the ship, trying his best to ignore how his heart went into overdrive, as he recalled the way Katara would bend the waves like the goddess of the Ocean. Whenever Zuko saw the ocean, his thoughts would inevitably turn to Katara and the feeling of loneliness would grow stronger and intense, he missed Katara's company, he missed the way her soft, gentle voice would coo comforting words whenever he was stressed, the way she would smile at him whenever he left the office after an exhausting day's work.

Sometimes Katara would even help him with his workload, despite Zuko's protests, she would sink herself into the sea of scrolls and start reading away and summrising what they stated. Zuko would never admit it to anyone, but he would always be glad whenever Katara decided to join him in the office. Whenever the waterbender was around, running a nation seemed like such a simple task because Katara alwasy knew the right things to say, the right words that gave him strength to keep going. Despite the seemingly selfless nature of her act, Katara was able to benefit from their time together in _huge _way

Katara had not been as literate as she would have liked, being from a tribe where survival alone was a daily struggle, education was not considered a high priority when the lessons of cooking, cleaning and hunting had much more relevance. But Katara was intelligent and hardworking and was able to learn quickly under his (and Iroh's) guidance and she would read scroll after scroll, drinking it's contents and imprinting them into her memory.  
Zuko lost himself in thoughts of Katara, he lost himself in memories that brought warmth to his cold world. The prince taught about the devestating day in Ba Sing Se when she had decided to end the relationship. Looking back on it, Zuko now realized that he had been idiot not to say anything, if he could have replayed the situation, he would have done anything _to make her change her mind, even if it meant getting down on both knees and begging for presence. _

But it did not change the fact that Katara had miraculously lost interest in him.

"A wonderful night, don't you think so, your Highness?"

Zuko was so surprised that he jumped out of his skin as he turned to face the man who addressed him. A familiar man stood next to him, his sliver hair and beard gleaming in the moonlight, the man had a gentle smile on his wrinkled face and held two cups of tea in his hands. Zuko immediately recognised him .

"Zac Fou"

"As I am most commonly known, yes" assented the older man, held up one cup with a smile. "Tea, Your Highness?"

Zuko hesitated, before accepting the cup with a small smile and a nod of thanks, he knew that he needed a distraction even if it came from the most unexpected sources. Zac Fou slurped on his tea, as he turned around and looked at the ocean.

"Water is a most fascinating element, do you not think so, your Highness?"

_So much for the distraction _thought Zuko.

The prince merely nodded, not trusting his voice.

"When I was in Sozin I used to spend my nights staring out into the ocean, there were nights when it was so calm and soothing, but there were times when it was ferocious, the waves crashing against the shores, the seawater thundering in turmoil...."

The old man trailed off with a shudder, as if trying to shake off a bad memory.

"Women are not too different, aren't they my prince?" he asked in sly tone.

Zuko thought about Katara and how one minute she could be the epitome of compassion and the next she would be the queen of demons.

"You have no idea" he murmured.

Zac Fou chuckled and silence fell between the two men. Zuko took the silence as an opportunity to drink some tea, he immediately felt the warm, soothing liquid flow through his body doing wonders for his weary mind and he felt a sense of calm and peace trickle through him, he was starting to understand why his uncle was obsessed with the brew.

"What do you plan to do now?" said the old man, in a serious tone.

Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, he should have seen this coming, Zac Fou did not seem to be the sort of man who would do small talk. But Zuko appreciated the man's straight forward attitude, plus relaying his plans for the refugees of Sozin gave him the feel of being in control. Something that he had not had this past week.

"The first thing that needs to be done is to relocate the people" said Zuko. "The coastal areas are a possible area, seeing that the people used to live in close proximity to the sea, we were thinking about the Western Islands seeing as those are not as heavily populated as the mainland"

Zac Fou nodded.

"Your Lieutenant mentioned that, he said that it was paramount that I, as the leader of the community give my consent"

_Zac Fou has been speaking with Lee?_ thought Zuko. _What could he possible want with him? _

"You will also be working with him in the relocation programme, I'm going back to the Capital_"_

Zac Fou nodded, though he did not ask why, probably because he knew that Zuko would not give an answer.

"So much has changed" said the old man, and there was a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

Zuko frowned not quite sure what the old man was getting at.

"In my day, it was unheard of, for the royal family or anyone of political affluence to care about the majority"

For some reason, Zuko began to feel uncertain, his gut feeling told him that whatever purpose Zac Fou had in mind, he was starting to talk about it now and it made him uneasy.

"I did not spend my younger days in Sozin" said Zac Fou. "In fact, I was born in the countryside and raised in the rice fields on the eastern islands"

Zuko stood there perplexed.

_Why is this man telling me his life story? _

Zac Fou continued, as if oblivious to the prince's confusion and making the massive assumption that Zuko wanted to hear about his life.

"When I was nineteen I travelled to the mainland in the hopes of joining the military. After graduating from the academy, I joined the army and served for fifteen years, during that time, I married and raised a family"

"While in the army?" said Zuko, a note of doubt entering his voice.

Zac Fou turned to him.

"I served in several divisions" he said. "But there was a time where I was in one of the reserves for five years"

Zuko nodded in understanding, allowing Zac Fou to continue his story.

"After years of fighting I was given a break and sent home for a couple of months. However, just before I was to return to the front I injured my Achille's heel and was sidelined..... It was something my commander could not except"

"Why was that? You were injured" said Zuko.

Zac Fou chuckled, amused at the younger man's naivete.

"Yes, but I had already served my time in the reserves and he felt that it was unacceptable that I stayed away from the front longer than my fellow officers did. He demanded that I serve in the front in _some way_ or he would find a way... and by Agni did he find a way"

"What did he do?" said Zuko, though his gut feeling told him that he was not going to like what Zac Fou said.

"Since I could not serve in the front, he took my young sons, then aged sixteen and thirteen"

Zuko resisted the urge to growl in anger.

"I had no way of resisting, when he showed up at my home I begged and pleaded with him, I even volunteered to go to the front lines in spite of my injury but he refused, saying that according to the law, a soldier was not to serve until he was fit to do so"

"So he took your sons away"

It was more of a statement than a question. Zac Fou nodded, his brown eyes were hazy, as he recalled the distant past that had been cruel to him, his eyes sagged under the burden of experience and sadness. To Zuko, he now seemed to be a hundred years older than he really was. When the old man next spoke, it was with a hint of heartbreak in his voice and Zuko could immediately tell that he was talking about the hardest years of his life.

"Within weeks of departing, I got a letter stating that my older son had died...."

Zac Fou's voice had grown dangerously soft at this point and Zuko taught that he would start crying. But the old man continued to tell his story in a steady voice.

"I did not hear a word about my younger boy, until I heard from an officer that my former commander had taken him under his wing and turned him against me calling me a 'dishonourable coward' I never heard from him since the day, only hearing of his feats through others"

"Feats?"

The old man turned back to face Zuko with a sardonic smile on his face.

"I believe you knew Admiral Zhao?"

It was as if Zuko had been struck by thunder (which ironically he was no stranger to) Zuko found it hard to believe that the old man standing before him had fathered the man who was willing to wipe out an entire civilization just so that he could be in Ozai's good graces. Zac Fou turned back to the ocean and when he spoke it with a whisper as faint as the breeze that caressed his hair.

"The greatest punishment a man can endure is losing his family"

Zuko taught it best to look away, as Zac Fou allowed himself a moment of weakness. Silence fell between the two men as they contemplated the words that had been said, Zuko was surprised but at the same time he was not. The prince sincerely doubted if there was anyone apart from the aristocracy and the royal family who did not suffer from the hundred year war.

"I'm sorry for your lose" he whispered.

Zac Fou turned around to face him and Zuko was surprised to see that his eyes weren't wet with tears.

"After I lost my wife to illness" he said. "I left the Army and travelled to Sozin, where I could lead a quite life amongst the smaller fishing towns. I've stayed there ever since"

"Why are you telling me this?"

Zac Fou paused as he contemplated the next few words.

"I wanted you to know that this country may have prospered during the war but it also suffered. I'm telling you now, that ending it is the best decision a FireLord has made in a _very _long time. You're different from your predecessors, that much is obvious. I can tell that you are going to guide this nation to a path it had lost sight of a long time ago" he paused.

Zuko was paralysed. _Where is he going with this?_

"I can tell that you are going to be the leader that the Fire Nation has needed for over a century, that the _world _has needed" The old man gave Zuko a small smile as he continued. "You are a beacon to a nation that has been clouded in darkness, you are a champion of honour, a vanguard of the people.... I am proud to call you my prince"

Zuko stood where he was frozen in place, he could not believe the words that had been said, much less the man who had said it. Zuko found it hard to believe that only a couple of days ago, Zac Fou had treated him and his subordinates with contempt, trying to hinder their efforts to relocate the people, now this very same man stood before him, praising him as if he were some god. Zuko cleared his throat and shook his head so as to kick his mind into action.

"I am truly honoured that you think of me in such high esteem" he said. "But I'm afraid I do not justify the praise you have given me, if there is anyone who does, it is my uncle, FireLord Iroh"

It felt strange referring to his uncle as 'FireLord' but Zac Fou took it in stride.

"Firelord Iroh is a capable leader" said Zac Fou. "I served under him for a brief period though he may not have known it, but that man, great as he is, is not the future. You are"

Zuko however, placidly shook his head.

"The future is safe because my uncle is sitting on the throne, a man far more capable and experienced than I am"

To his surprise, Zac Fou chuckled.

"Humble as ever" he murmured to himself. "Have a good night, your majesty"

With those words, Zac Fou turned around and walked away, his footsteps making soft clunking noises along the deck. Zuko sighed, as he placed one foot on the railing and stared up at the sky.

"What the heck was that about?" he murmured. "Katara would probably have laughed her head off if she had heard that"

The full moon glimmered vibrantly and Zuko stared, entranced by it's tranquil beauty. The prince knew that he had a mountain of paperwork to tackle, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not when the moon was full and memories of Katara were fresh in his mind. Zuko sighed once again and a puff of fire escaped his lips.

"Why are you always on my mind, Katara?" he whispered to the air. "Why, after nearly a year do you still occupy my mind and heart in a way that no one has?" The wind picked up before dying down, as if trying to give a response to his question. "What is it about you that is so addictive?" he continued. "Is it your smile? Your personality? The way you would speak a million words without opening your lips? The haven you gave me when I needed it? The way you opened yourself up to me? Was it your passion? Your honesty? Or was it because you let me be _me _when I was around you"

"Whose Katara?"

Zuko jumped up and whirled around, Lee was standing on deck, leaning on the rail.

"How long have you been standing there?" asked Zuko, shocked and angry, this was the second time he had been caught of guard.

"Long enough" said Lee, with a shrug.

An awkward tension filled the air, as the initial surprise wore off. The conversation they had had the other night was still fresh on their minds. Zuko turned his eyes back to the ocean.

"How are the men holding up?" said Zuko, as if hoping to prolong the inevitable conversation through small talk.

"Better, now that their leader is up and about"

Zuko noticed that Lee's voice was rather terse when he replied. The prince knew his lieutenant well enough to know that he was feeling resentful of the words he had said to him last night, Zuko knew that he ought to apologise but he was not ready to bring up the subject just yet.

"You're going back to the Capital"

It wasn't a question but more of a statement. Zuko nodded.

"I need to talk to uncle about what has happened and I need to do some research on our foe"

Lee had been looking at the dark water all this time, but at Zuko's words, he turned around to face him.

"You have an idea as to who they are?" said Lee, surprise written all over his tone.

Zuko nodded. "I have a name and the fact that this isn't the first time that they have warred with the royal family"

Lee let out a low whistle.

"Looks like we are dealing with a real kick-ass faction" he murmured.

"Strong enough to kick our ass" agreed Zuko.

Both men froze, as they realised the words that had been said.

"My prince, did you just _swear_?"

"I..."

Zuko himself was surprised, he had let the words slip unconsciously without realizing. Lee was clinging to the railing of the ship, as if it were a lifeline, cackling like a crazy witch.

"The prince.....swearing.....This is a memory for the ages!!" he said, laughing.

Zuko scowled.

"It's not that funny" he growled.

Lee paused in his laughing. "Newsflash: Yeah, it is!"

The Lieutenant broke down into a fit of laughter.

"Give me a break all right? It's been a rough couple of days"

Zuko's words immediately sobered the mood.

"For what it's worth" said Lee, the serious note made his voice several octaves deeper. "We may have lost the battle, but the Dragon Regiment was not fighting at full strength"

Zuko turned to look at him, all sense of humour faded from Lee's face.

"What do you mean?"

"I sent one thousand men to aid Colonel Qin in evacuating the civilians, the remaining men stayed with me and fought it out"

Zuko took a deep breath, thoroughly surprised by the news.

"How many do you think the T'ien Ti had?"

Lee shrugged.

"Not sure, could have been a couple of hundred. The problem wasn't the numbers"

"They had us completely surrounded" said Zuko.

"Not only that" agreed Lee. "Many of our men were tired and hungry due to the food shortages, the enemy on the other hand was well supplied"

Zuko turned to look at him.

"How do you know this?"

"They threw rice bags and rotten food at us just before the commenced the attack"

Zuko unleashed a series of swear words under his breath, when he had managed to get a hold of his temper, he turned to face Lee who was staring out into the ocean.

"You knew that it was a battle you couldn't win, did you?"

Lee nodded in assent.

"Then why fight?" insisted Zuko. "You could have just retreated"

"Somebody had to distract them from the civilians"

Zuko felt his throat go dry.

"So, in other words..."

"The battle was one big distraction"

Zuko felt shame eating away at his insides, he now realized just how unreasonable he had been with Lee and that he could no longer prolong the conversation he needed to have.

"Listen Lee, about the other night-"

"No need to apologise" said Lee. "I had time to think about what you said and...you had a point"

Zuko was utterly surprised.

"But what I said to you was completely unreasonable-"

"Yes, it was" said Lee. "But there was a bit of truth to it"

Zuko frowned in surprise.

"When I was in the army" said Lee. "I was a really angry person back then, I was always frowning, looking for the slightest chance to get into a fight, always shouting and yelling at my peers."

Zuko turned away as Lee continued to talk, he couldn't help but feel a strong sense of deja vu.

"But when you're in the army, its all about discipline. So instead of yelling at my peers like I wanted to I threw myself in the heat of battle and took out all my anger and frustration there. That's how it first started out, but later, after months of figthing, I began to enjoy battle for the sake of fighting. The way you're devoid of all thought and feeling, the adrenalin pumping through your veins, the blood pounding in your ears..."

Zuko felt slightly disturbed at Lee's words, The prince had never viewed battle as something that was exhilarating, necessary at times, but not something that you should enjoy. Silence fell between the two of them, as both young men pondered on what had been said.  
Zuko he had met him when his uncle had hired him to be the new Lieutenant of the Dragon Regiment and they had travelled together for nearly eighteen months, but up until this moment, Zuko had never thought about Lee's origins or where he had come from or the sort of person he was before they had met. Was this the reason he and Lee were friends? That they had endured much to reach the place where they were now?  
The silence, however did not last long and Zuko was once again jarred out of his thoughts by an unexpected question.

"So whose Katara?"

Zuko sighed with resignation, reluctant as he was to talk about the waterbender, He knew that Lee would not let it go until he had a few answers.

"Someone who was very special to me"

Lee raised an eyebrow. as if he was not buying Zuko's words.

"From the way you were talking just now, I'd say she _is _very special"

Zuko turned to scowl at the man next to him.

"It's my personal life, Lee" he snapped.

Lee merely chuckled.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of" he said. "We've all been there, but 'Katara' doesn't sound like a Fire Nation name"

"She's from the Southern Water Tribe" said Zuko, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

Lee smiled.

"A foreigner, eh? I have to say that's good for Fire-Water relations"

Zuko sighed, he was too tired to be annoyed.

"I hope she has a little spunk" said Lee.

Zuko recalled the day he had first joined the Avatar during the war and her threat to kill him.

"She's not short of that" he said.

"That's good"

Zuko turned to Lee. "You don't seem surprised" he said.

"Surprised that you have a girlfriend? Why would I be surprised at that?"

"It's just..."

One of the many reasons he preferred to keep his relationship with Katara a secret was because he was afraid of the backlash from many of the Fire Nation citizens, backlash that might have been directed at her. Which was why he was surprised to see Lee seemingly unconcerned at his revelation.

"It's just that you don't seem concerned about the fact that she's Water Tribe"

"I ain't your mom, prince, telling you what sort of girls that you should avoid isn't part of the job description of being your lieutenant"

Zuko scowled at Lee's response. "That's not what I'm saying" he snapped.

"Hey, look, if the girl has got spunk what does it matter where she's from?"

Zuko could only stare dumbfounded, while he was glad that Lee did not care about race, he was thoroughly surprised at the way he dismissed that factor. Only when he was looking at Lee's smirk, did he finally put two and two together.

"So what about you?" he asked, instead.

Lee turned around in surprise.

"What about me?"

"You weren't disgusted as most people would have been if I told them about Katara" said Zuko. "And besides you your self said _We've all been there. _Now tell me. Who is she?"

Lee sighed.

"I-"

"I told you about Katara" said Zuko, in a firm tone. "It's only fair that you tell me about your girlfriend"

"She's not my girlfriend..." Lee trailed off uncomfortably.

"Where did she come from?"

Zuko was not going to leave him alone until he got answers.

"She's from the Earth Kingdom"

Lee's eyes had taken on that glazed look and he spoke with a soft caress to his voice, something that the prince was quick to pick up on.

"Where in the Earth Kingdom?"

"Western part"

Zuko couldn't help but smirk at the look on Lee's faces, was this how he looked whenever he thought about Katara?

"Are you going to tell me her name?"

Lee looked at the prince, and smiled, not a smirk but a genuine smile.

"Song"

For a moment, Zuko was stunned.

"Song?" he repeated.

"Yeah it's a pretty name, isn't?" said Lee, with a ridculous smile on his face.

Zuko could clearly remember the Earth Kingdom girl who had given him and his uncle food and shelter, and had tried to reach out to him. Zuko found it hard to believe that Lee had known her, and obviously had strong feelings for her.

_First Zac Fou and Zhao, now it's Lee and Song. What other blast from the past am I going to get? _

"I met her when I was in the army" said Lee. "Circumstances were, well.... complicated"

Zuko didn't need any clarification.

"We spent a lot of time together, until the day..."

Lee trailed off, a look of discomfort on his face, something that Zuko failed to pick up on.

"Until the day what?"

Lee shook his head.

"Have a good night, my prince"

Zuko who had been surprised by the unexpected words, could only stand where he was Lee hurried away. Zuko raised an eyebrow in surprise.

_What was that all about?_

* * *

Sokka could tell that it was one of those days, the days when nothing seemed to go your way, when you didn't have an ounce of luck on your side. Sokka was used to those days, there were times when he had to deal with bad luck for _weeks _especially when an inexperienced teenage boy had to go hunting for an entire tribe all by himself. But today was an exceptionally infuriating day. Sokka could clearly remember this morning when he had been hunting tonight's dinner, he had almost let a rabbit-squirrel best him in the hunting game. The warrior was certain that Suki had been laughing to herself when he had to squat on all fours to get under a bush, he was glad that she wasn't around when he ran into Fufucuddlypops nearly three years ago.

Sokka shook his head and turned towards the fire, when the storm had begun to rain down on them, he had been the one to suggest that they go into the forest so that Toph could bend some shelter over the group. The five of them spent half the day huddled in the shelter, smothered by darkness and the dank smell of wet earth. Sokka growled to himself.

_Zuko better appreciate the trouble we're going through for him. _

"It would be good to have a family reunion though" he muttered, contradicting his thoughts. "Even if it's not under the best of circumstances"

He felt a shadow block the warmth from the fire and he looked up. Suki was standing before him holding a cup of tea in her hand, she offered it to Sokka.

"Tea?" she said. "I made it"

"Thanks" he said, taking the offered cup.

Suki lingered where she was for a few moments.

"Can I join you?"

Sokka hesitated before nodding.

"Sure"

Sokka stared at the woman next to him as she settled down next to him. She no longer had the face paint on and her beauty glimmered in the fire before his eyes. Sokka had thought hard about the other night and realised that had the tall (though wimpy) man had not interrupted them she would definitely have told him about her... doubts. Sokka's rational mind told him that it was her way of apologizing and showing regret for her actions, Sokka admired her strength of mind and integrity. Sokka sighed and leaned back against the tree, Suki had doubts.

Could Sokka blame her? No because truth be told, he too had been doubting for a while, could someone really find their life partner at fifteen? Was it possible for a relationship to thrive in the face of so many adversities such as distance and duties? Sokka did not want to deal with those issues, as he felt it was wrong to question a relationship with such an amazing woman, not so obvious hints from his grandmother had been a factor as well. So Sokka did what any man would have done at his age, buried himself in his work and placed his feelings in a small compartment at the back of his mind. Thanks to his efforts, his tribe had gone from sparse huts to a beautiful city in a matter of _weeks. _Sokka turned to the woman next to him, Suki was feeling very comfortable next to him, despite their problems. Without realizing what he was doing, Sokka reached out and brushed aside a stray hair from her forehead. Suki turned to him and smiled.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered.

Sokka felt his heart lurch at that soft yet sensual tone.

"How the Team Avatar dynamics are messed up"

Suki giggled and he couldn't help but smile.

"What do you mean?" she said.

"Look at Aang" said Sokka, indicating with his chin towards the gloomy Avatar. "He's all depressed and.... _emo_. That's Zuko's job"

Suki nodded.

"Aang has been preoccupied lately, that's what Katara says"

Sokka raised an eyebrow, picking up the unsaid.

"Even Katara doesn't know what's wrong with him?" he said, incredulously. "Then it must be something serious"

Silence fell between the two young people.

"Sokka"

The warrior turned to face the girl next to him.

"Have you ever thought about us?" Sokka raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... do you see us together in the future?"

For a moment, Sokka felt the wind knocked out of him, the wheels in his mind were spinning, as he struggled to think of an answer. Suki stared at him with large blue eyes, hoping that she would get an answer. Minutes or even days could have passed, Sokka couldn't tell the difference.

"Suki, I-"

"Suki!" cried a voice and both of them jumped.

Sokka turned towards the voice, it was Katara.

"Suki, could I borrow you for a moment?"

The waterbender was waving her arm at the only other girl in the camp, Toph had disappeared. Suki looked torn between answering Katara's call and staying with Sokka.

"You should go" said Sokka. Suki hesitated. "I'll answer your question, I promise" Suki nodded before getting to her feet and walking away.

"Suki, could you get those moonshine herbs in my tent, those are the light blue plants stored in a dry sack"

Suki nodded and was about to go inside the tent but something she saw made her stop.

"Umm, Katara" she spoke with a rather hesitant tone. "Could I ask you something?"

"Sure"

"What's that on your wrist?"

Katara held up the sparkling object and Sokka noticed that it was a bangle, it gleamed in the fire, an excellent blend of scarlet and gold, he was certain that there were designs around that bangle though he couldn't see any details.

"Oh, that"

Sokka noticed the blush on Katara's face and frowned.

"That was given to me by..."

Sokka did not hear the rest of the sentence because Aang had taken a sudden interest in the piece of jewellery.

"Who gave you that bangle, Katara?"

There was something in his voice to indicate that he wasn't pleased, perhaps it was the high pitched manner in which he spoke or how loud his voice was, whatever it was, Sokka knew that it was bad news.

"We've got trouble" he murmured to himself.

* * *

It was with trepidation did Iroh anticipate his meeting with Minister Yen, the Minister of Interior and the man who was in charge of the Music Night Festival. Iroh had several reasons to be suspicious of the man. The man was the son of a manufacturer whose family came to wealth by producing tanks and ships alike and had married into an ancient noble family who had taken a standing against the FireLord's new policies. The only reason Iroh had ever considered him for a post in his government was because he had followed the old philosophy 'Keep your friends close but your enemies closer'

Iroh had not forgotten the meeting merely a week ago when Yen had been eager to see Zuko and his regiment be assigned to defend Sozin, only days later, Iroh had received word that not only had the city been destroyed but Zuko and his men had been ambushed. Zuko and the Dragon Regiment had lost in Sozin, Iroh didn't need the letter from Lieutenant Lee to know that. Now the northern part of the mainland was under threat from this anarchy group and Iroh had to act. The minister had the background to want to plan Iroh's downfall, but as to whether the Minister was actually doing anything to try and usurp the Fire Lord remained to be seen. A knock on the door, followed closely by the entrance of the chamberlain.

"Send him in" said Iroh, before the chamberlain could say a word. "And have some tea sent in"

The chamberlain nodded before leaving the door. Iroh felt a prickling sensation along his spine, knowing what the feeling meant, he turned around to see the tall form of Minister Yen staring at him with passive brown eyes. Iroh nodded.

"Minister Yen"

"FireLord Iroh" said the Minister, bowing deeply. "To what do I honour of this meeting?"

_Whether you've been planning treachery behind my back _

"Please sit down, Minister" said Iroh, graciously.

The minister took the offered seat Iroh walked around the desk, taking his time as he did so. With languid grace, Iroh settled down into his seat, he had barely opened his mouth when a servant entered bearing a tray that held two cups of tea. Iroh took his cup and sipped his jasmine tea, relishing the soothing effect it had on his body. The Fire Lord looked up and he noticed that the Minister had not touched his cup.

_He thinks I must have poisoned the tea. _ Thought Iroh. I_'ve got news for you minister, this old man is too savvy for such cheap tactics. _

_"_Tea is such a healthy drink, do you not think so, Minister?" he inquired, politely. "I can personally vouch for it's life-saving benefits. I cannot even _begin _to describe the ways it has benefited me in the past"

The Minister acknowledged the unsaid and took a tentative sip.

"Now, Minister" said Iroh, adopting a more serious tone. "I called you hear for a reason, the Music Night Festival"

Iroh paused and analysed the Minister's reaction, looking for any signs of surprise. The Minister sat still before him with a stoic face.

"The scheduled night is only five days away, Minister I want your reassurances that everything will be ready by then"

The Minister nodded without hesitation.

"My Lord, everything will be ready, you have absolutely nothing to fear"

"I hope so" said Iroh. "This is the biggest project to relaunch a culture that was lost since the start of the war, I do not want my people to be disappointed"

"They will not be disappointed, Fire Lord Iroh" said Minister Yen, a sardonic smile crossed his face. "I promise you"

Iroh was not reassured.

"In that case, I will be making an impromptu visit to the City Square"

Such a statement was unnecessary, as Iroh was able to see the City Square from his window, but the Fire Lord wanted to make it clear that he was taking this event very seriously. The minister nodded, not betraying a hint of emotion with his expression.

"Very well" came the stoic reply.

Iroh nodded before turning his attention to a scroll on his desk. The Minister understood the discreet albeit arrogant sign and rose to take his leave.

"I will take my leave, your Majesty"

Iroh waved his hand, the click of the door opening and closing announced the Minister's departure. The Fire Lord abandoned his desk and made his way towards the window. Iroh waited patiently, as he gazed down at the courtyard below, it did not take long for the Minister to appear. The tall man made his way through the courtyard, towards the gates that lead to the Inner part of the capital city. Iroh's eyes flitted onto a man dressed in servant's clothes, as soon as the Minister disappeared from sight, the servant followed him. Iroh took a deep breath, within a few days he would know what he so desperately needed to know.

A knock on the door jarred him out of his thoughts, Iroh turned around to see his chamberlain standing at the door, a bewildered expression on his face.

"My Lord, there is a young woman who is here to see you, she claims that you have requested to see her"

Iroh nodded.

"Send the Lady Mai in, I wish to speak with her regarding my nephew"

The Fire Lord glared at the chamberlain, who gulped and nodded. "

Rumours are like weeds" murmured Iroh. "If you do not watch out for them they will grow and choke what has taken hard, painstaking work to grow"

The last thing the Fire Lord needed were rumours of Mai, the prince's supposed girlfriend, paying a visit to a lonely Fire Lord.

A pale young woman stood before him, Iroh noted her silent demeanour and cool elegance, and noted that had he been fifty years younger, the country would have been clamouring for his marriage to this woman. As such, Mai was Zuko's girlfriend, the prince had kept quiet about his personal life but Iroh was simply too smart not to let the growing distance between them go unnoticed.

"Lady Mai" he said, bowing deeply in respect. "What a pleasure it is to see you again"

Mai bowed, the boredom in her face not wavering for a second.

"It is always a pleasure to receive an invitation from the Fire Lord"

"Would you like to sit down?" said Iroh, gesturing to the comfortable sofas in the office. Mai glanced at the posh furniture.

"No thank you" she said, as if Fire Lord invited her to his office ever week. "I'd rather remain standing"

Iroh shrugged. "Very well, if that is your wish, but this old man's knees are buckling and he must sit whenever he can"

Iroh walked over and sat down, and regard Mai's impassive expression, it amazed him that she could stay so still.

"Mai, I must talk to you about Zuko" he said, abandoning all formality.

Mai's expression did not change.

"He's going dump me again. Isn't he?"

Iroh shook his head in denial.

"That is not the case"

"Then why hasn't he written?"

Her expression remained impassive as ever but there was a slight hysteria to her tone, the change was so subtle that even Iroh, experienced as he was at reading people, was just barely able to pick it up.

"Why haven't you?" responded Iroh. "Lady Mai, you must understand, that Zuko had been assigned to Sozin on a mission of great importance, just after he had written his last letter to you. Zuko has been busy in times of late, unexpected events have cropped up and he will be busier than ever"

"So you are saying that I should just dump him like he did me?"

Iroh paused in his words. The last thing he needed to do was anger the daughter of his Minister.

"I am not saying that at all" said Iroh shaking his head. "I am trying to tell you that negligence on Zuko's behalf is not intentional, he has taken on much as a prince and the human mind can only do so much"

"What are you trying to tell me, Fire Lord Iroh?"

"That you should be understanding and give him space" said Iroh, gently. "And also to give you a little warning"

Mai's eyes widened a fraction before returning to normal.

"Zuko's rule as Fire Lord... and mine... will not be a peaceful one, Mai, it will not be banquets, steamed baths and free pedicures all the way. Life will be hard on Zuko, and should you remain close to him it will be hard for you, as well. The question you need to ask yourself is this: Can you stay with Zuko through thick and thin, for as long as you live?"

Mai contemplated the words before bowing.

"Your gesture is generous Fire Lord Iroh" she said.

Iroh nodded.

"Thank you for coming to see me"

"Thank you for inviting me"

Mai turned to leave, but just before her pale hand could grasp the door handle she stopped and turned to Iroh.

"Why are you doing this?" she said. "Inviting me over and then giving me advice. From what Azula once told me, you were never one to take an active role in Zuko's life"

Iroh smiled ruefully.

"Azula knows very little about me" he said. "If not at all. However I do consider myself a non-interventionist but these are trying times and Zuko needs help, even if he is too proud to ask for it"

Mai nodded, with a swish of her robes, she had left the room, leaving the Fire Lord to contemplate his thoughts.

* * *

"What did you do, Aang?"

Katara was standing before the Avatar with both hands placed on her hips and a stern frown on her face. Aang gulped nervously and looked to the others for help, Sokka had decided to shrink into a small corner of the clearing, melting into a shadow, Sui was standing next to the fire, torn between intervening and staying out of what could be a huge fight. Toph was the only person who didn't seem to be disturbed by the ongoing scene, she had propped up a stump and was leaning against a tree, a huge smirk on her face. Aang felt like smacking the smirk right off her face, he immediately shook the thought out of his head.

_Remember _he told himself _The monks used to say that violence is like a poison, it corrupts the heart and the mind_

"Aang! Are you even listening to me?"

Aang was shaken out of his philosophical stupor and looked at the angry, young woman before him.

"Look, Katara, It was an accident, I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't _mean_ to?" hissed Katara, there was slight edge to her voice and Aang knew right then and there that he was in serious trouble.

"Are you trying to tell me that you didn't mean to throw that Fire Nation bracelet _into _the fire and ruin it?"

"Uh..."

Truth be told he had meant to throw the bracelet into the fire, but he'd rather face Ozai all over again rather than tell her that. But Katara seemed to have understood.

"Don't think that you've fooled me for_ one second_, Aang. Do you honestly think that after all this time I won't be able to tell when you're airbending?"

Sokka could be heard whispering from the depths of his corner.

"_A Fire Nation bracelet that gets burnt by fire, does anybody else see the irony?" _

"Katara" said Aang. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's _ruined_!" snapped the waterbender, oblivious to whether the younger man was speaking or not. "I mean look at it!"

She brandished the once glittering ornament in his face, now black, gnarled, twisted and still smoking (though that could be due to Katara's rising anger)

"How could you do this to me, Aang?" cried Katara, her kar blue eyes were wet with tears.

"Katara" said Aang, clueless as to what he could do or say to make the situation better. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No!" snapped Katara. "You burnt a valuable gift from a _dear _friend, there's no way you could make this better!"

For some reason, those words triggered a reaction in Aang, a reaction he was not expecting nor able to control.

"Oh yeah? Just who exactly was your precious friend?" he snapped.

The abrupt change in attitude caught everyone by surprise, including Katara.

"I-"

"No wait, don't tell me" snapped Aang, he began to pace around the fire. "Let's see how many _precious _friends you've made"

"Aang-" said Katara, tone changing from angry to motherly in an instant.

"First there was Haru"

"Haru is not a precious friend" snapped Katara. "A dear friend but not precious"

"Then-" continued Aang, in a much louder voice. "There was... let's see.... _Zuko_"

At the mention of his name, everyone in the camp went grave and silent, even Toph's smirk disappeared from her face. It was as if the name was cursed, Aang rounded on Katara and there was suddenly a sense of foreboding.

"It _is _Zuko" he whispered, his voice carrying through to everyone in the clearing in spite of his soft voice. "That bracelet is from Zuko, isn't? Your dear friend is _Zuko, _the reason why that bracelet is so valuable is because it's from Zuko"

"Aang, listen-"

"NO!"

The loud voice took everyone by surprise.

"You've been angry because that bracelet was burned, I taught it was because it was pretty and that girls like pretty stuff, but _no, _the reason why that thing is so important to you is because it's from _Zuko_"

The prince's name left a bitter taste in his mouth, with each passing minute, Aang was growing more and more resentful of the Fire Prince.

_Why is this person so important to her? _He thought to himself. _What does this guy have that I don't? _

"Aang, it's not what you-"

"No, I'm done talking Katara, I'm.... just done talking!"

The young Avatar stomped to where his glider was, propped up against a tree, he grabbed the staff before unravelling it.

"Aang where do you think you're going?" said Katara, agitation etched into her tone.

"Away from here" snapped Aang. "But-"

"Katara, let him go, if he's gonna glowy then he might as well do it on the other side of the island"

Katara glared at Sokka, but Aang used her distraction to his advantage and took his leave.

With a ferocious gust of wind, he flew high into the air and disappeared from sight. Katara watched him disappear into the night sky, worry, disappointment and self-retribution battling for dominance over her feelings and actions.

"I need to go after him" said Katara, resolution etched into her voice, she turned to Momo, who had been resting on Appa's head.

"Momo could you-"

"Leave him alone, Sweetness" said Toph, speaking for the first time since the argument started. "Twinkles needs to be alone"

"But, Toph-"

"No buts, Sweetness" interrupted Toph. "You threw a huge tantrum over a bracelet that Sparky gave you, do you honestly think that Twinkles wouldn't react to that?"

"But, I.... that doesn't matter! He had no right to throw such a big tantrum!"

"And you had no right yelling at him over a bracelet"

"Aang doesn't usually act like this, I'm sure it's just the thought of what's going on in the Fire Nation-"

"No, it doesn't have _anything _to do with the Fire Nation and _everything _to do with the way you've been acting. Sweetness, you're _such _a bimbo and you just don't get it!"

Katara folded her arms.

"Well, excuse me if I don't take well to bad behaviour, _Toph _and I am not a bimbo"

"Urgh!" cried Toph in exasperation. "_This _is your problem, Katara, you're so caught up in the idea that Aang is the Avatar and some wishy-washy monk that you fail to see the real truth: Aang is a _guy _with _feelings, _he gets jealous just like the rest of them"

"I-" stuttered Katara, she wanted to protest against Toph's words, she wanted to tell him that she saw him as more than the Avatar but her conversation with Aang that day was still fresh in her mind. _If you think I wasn't the Avatar, without the four elements, without the Avatar State. Would I still be weak?"_

Katara choose to ignore her uncertainty, focusing on the blind earthbender in front of her. _  
_

"I know that Aang is a guy with feelings, it's-"

"No, I don't think you do" said Toph, sincerely. "Otherwise you wouldn't be treating him like this, talking openly about a gift that some other guy gave you, then making Aang feel bad about being jealous by yelling at him"

"I-"

"Forget it Sweetness, people like you are _beyond _help"

Before Katara, could say anything else, Toph stomped out of sight, too angry to be around Katara. The waterbender looked helpless, she turned to the only two people remaining in the camp.

"What do you think? She asked, addressing both Sokka and Suki. "Do you think I was being too harsh on Aang?"

"Seriously, sis" said Sokka, shaking his head in disapproval. "Talking about another guy _in front _of your current boyfriend, _not cool_"

Katara turned to Suki, a pleading look on her face.

"Suki?"

"Well" said the warrior, hesitation written all over her face. "You were kind of harsh"

Katara groaned, as she realized her mistake. How could she have treated Aang this way? Katara was certain that she would never have pulled this sort of stunt with Zuko, she would never have treated him with such disrespect, so why had she been like that with Aang. What could have possibly driven her to treat him in such a disrespectful manner?

"Toph was right, I _am _wrong"

"Yeah you were pretty much a jerk" murmured Sokka, though not loud enough for his sister to hear.

* * *

Toph huffed to herself as she kicked a small pebble out of the way. The earthbender couldn't explain it but for some reason, she was really angry at Katara, even though she had no real reason to be so.

_But then again, since when have we ever needed a reason to argue? _She thought to herself. _That's just who we are, it's what we do best, right up there with kicking fire butts._

A gust of wind pulled her out of her reverie.

"Twinkles!" she said, feeling his presence on the earth. "What are you doing here?"

She sensed Aang shrugging.

"I was flying and I saw you alone, so I just flew down"

"But why?"

"I don't know" he said honestly. "I just thought that you'd like some company"

Toph frowned as she picked up the unsaid.

"You mean, _you _needed some company"

Aang let a low chuckle, much to Toph's surprise.

"What's so funny?" she said.

"You want to go somewhere?" he asked, abruptly. "While I was exploring this island I saw this rock place that I _know _you'd love"

Toph frowned in confusion, there was a certain excitement in his voice, that told Toph that he had just seen an opporturnity to play one of his crazy games, but there was something else. Aang's heartbeat was going at an unsually fast rate, making Toph suspicious, she decided to test the waters.

"Are you asking me out on a _date?_"

Toph smiled to herself as Aang recoiled in surprise.

_There it is _she thought to herself. _Your heart is going faster than a cheetah-panther. _

For some reason, Toph felt both excited and flattered.

_It's the rock place _she told herself. _He's taking me to a place full of rocks. And I like rocks That's it. _

"So do you want to go?" persisted Aang.

Instead of saying yes, like she originally wanted to, Toph crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"If this is some sort of revenge on Katara and her precious bangle, then forget it"

For a moment, Aang did not respond and she assumed that it was indeed the case. For some reason, the thought made Toph even angrier.

"I'm not going to be pulled into your little drama with Sweetness" snapped Toph, turning around. "You solve your problems like a man, quit running from them"

Toph turned to leave, but she had barely taken a step when a hand caught hers, stopping her in mid-track.

"It has nothing to do with Katara" said Aang, his tone told her that he was being dead serious. "I just want to spend some time with you before we get to the Fire Nation"

Toph froze where she was, his heartbeat was steady and it told her he was being honest. She could feel his fingers, long and spindly, soft but firm. Somehow the feel of his fingers sent goosebumps up her arm.

"Do you remember those days when we were in the Earth Kingdom? When it was just me and you?"

Toph raised an eyebrow.

"It was just two weeks ago, you make it sound like it was twenty years ago"

"I know it's just that, I sometimes just miss those times, you know"

Toph turned around, her heart hammering was in her chest.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that we've got the old group together... it's just that things were easier when it was just you and me"

Toph nodded, understanding what Aang was getting at.

"And we made one hell of a team, didn't we?"

Toph chuckled in agreement.

"Remember the town that had a problem with it's governor?"

Aang chuckled, the memory bringing a smile to his face.

"That guy wouldn't listen to you and your suggestions" said Toph.

"So you dumped him in an underground cell for one whole day" completed Aang.

"He was a crying blob by the time I got him out" laughed Toph.

Both young people fell into fits of laughter, as they recalled the days when they were on their own. Silence fell between the two of them, Toph could feel Aang staring at her, she waited patiently for him to say what was on his mind, but patience was never Toph's fort and after a few minutes she lost her patience.

"What?" she snapped, twirling around to face him.

"You want to go air gliding with me?"

The question took her by surprise.

"You expect me to leave my precious earth to swirl blindly through the air with _you _as my guide?"

"Well, when you put it like that..."

"No thanks, Aang, I just got used to the idea of flying on Appa, going from a ten tonne bison to a ten pound skinny boy is a bit too much for me"

"I am not ten pounds!"

Toph smirked. "Yeah. Right"

Toph heard the gilder being unfurled and she thought that he was going to fly off, as he had planned. But to Toph's surprise, she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist and before she could process what was going on, she was being lifted into the air. Fear, confusion and anger attacked her all at once, she kicked and squirmed under Aang's grip.

"Aang put me down. NOW! Wait till I get my hands on some earth. I'm going to-"

"Relax" said Aang, who seemed unbridled by Toph's threats. "Feel the wind arond you, let it soothe you, leave all your worries back on the earth. Don't worry, I've got you and I won't let go"

For some reason, his calm words comforted her and she relaxed under his grip. Toph allowed the wind to caress her face, trusting her body to feel what others could see. There was an odd comfort in the currents of the wind, as it if were cleansing her mind and body of all her troubles and concerns. For a moment, Toph forgot about her worries for her friends, for a moment she forgot about the fact that they would be facing grave danger in the Fire Nation. It was just her, the wind and the man who carried her.  
Hesitantly, Toph stretched out her arms, as far as her propinquity to Aang allowed her.

"That's it" said Aang, encouraging.

For the first time, since she began flying, Toph smiled, a genuine smile lit up her features, as she suddenly understood why flying was so special to Aang, it wasn't just because he was an airbender. It was because the wind gave you a certain freedom that no other element, not even earth could give her. Earth empowered her, earth turned her weakness into her greatest strength, but air gave her a freedom and a sensation of relaxation that she had never known.

Toph suddenly understood why earth and air were considered oppasites. Earth was solid, it was tangiable and it was stubborn, with earth she was burdened with everything. She could hear the hearbeats of several people at once, she could sense the movement of every living thing, earth gave her the power to look into a person's soul. Earth was like a powerful ally, it granted her endless possiblities and it made her unstoppable.

But Air was different, with air she was blind but she was aslo free. When she was in air she could feel the current in and around, laughing and whispering things in her ear. Like a friend who only wanted to have the best of time. Toph suddenly understood why the earthbenders were stubborn, uncomprimising people and why the airbenders were so peaceful in their way of life.

"It's wonderful" she whispered, so softly that not even Aang could hear it, her soft praise of the element she had been previously suspicious of blended with the wind.

"So" she said, once she had regained control of her senses. "Where is this rock place?"

Toph didn't need to be on the ground to tell that Aang was smiling.

"You're going to like it"

* * *

_A/N: Thanks a lot guys, Please leave a review. _

_The part with Katara, Aang and the bracelet may have been a little strange to some readers so I'll make a few things clear. First off, the bracelet. It was a gift from Zuko to Katara given while things between them were good (More details next chapter) _

_Now the part regarding Katara and the way she's been treating Aang. This is just my opinion of Kataang, but I believe that one of the main reasons (if not the reason) Katara is 'attracted' to Aang is because he's the Avatar. _

_I truly believe that this is canon because think about it. Katara has been travelling with Aang for over a year and never saw him as anything more than a friend (She even compared him to Momo at one point!) Then in the Ember Island Player episode she stated that she was 'confused' (Confused about what she never said, leaving the audience even more confused) Then barely a couple of days later (five? Three? Seven?) Katara magically discovers that she's 'attracted' to her bald friend (who by the way, has barely hit puberty) when he's introduced to the people as 'Avatar Aang' during Zuko's coronation. You guys get my point? _

_Now, I'm not saying that Katara is some 'Avatar' style gold digger whose trying to get it on with the most powerful bender. Not at all. To Katara, the Avatar represents, hope, peace and harmony, everything that was denied to her as a child and she was one of the first people to believe (if not the first) that Aang will grow into his role as the Avatar and fulfill his destiny. When Katara saw Aang come into that Avatar role (i.e. the hope, harmony and peace) the powerful entity that was the 'Avatar' and the goofy kid that was 'Aang' became one person.  
_

_In my story, Katara now has a hard time looking past Aang's 'Avatar complex' and seeing him who he really is, a normal guy with feelings and that really puts a strain on their relationship, as we've seen in both the previous chapter as well as this one. _

_I hope you guys agree with what I say here, if not, PM expressing your opnion and we can hopefully have a nice discussion.  
_


	19. One Step At A Time

_A/N: I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, favourited and put my story on 'story alert' Thanks a lot guys. Onto the next chapter, things may be going slow at this point but please bare with me. Only a couple of chapters till things really get going. _

* * *

_**Chapter 18 - One Step At A Time **_

Katara trudged through the forest, a blob of water swirling around her, in order to swat away any bugs that buzzed past her ear. It did not make sense to the young waterbender how Aang could have reacted so strongly to a simple piece of jewellery.

"It's not like Zuko was proposing to me" she muttered, ignoring the way her heart jumped at those words. "It's just a bangle" It may have been just a bangle, but Katara could clearly remember the day Zuko had given it to her.

_Katara was standing on the balcony of her room, watching the sun set over green hills and scarlet rooftops. She had been waiting for a while, despite his promise that he would be on time, Zuko was still late. But Katara didn't mind one bit, she understood that Zuko had a country to run, a country that was going through it's most turbulent time now that the war was over and whether he liked it or not, was not always able to spend his time the way he wanted to. Katara hummed merrily to herself, Sokka had taken Suki out to a restaurant, Aang and Toph were practising their bending, terrifying some of the guards in the process and were far too distracted for anything else. In short, it was too good an opportunity to miss out, she hoped Zuko would be able to make it. _

_"Hey there"_

_ Katara turned around and jumped in surprise. Zuko was standing on the balustrade, with the tip of his fingers touching the marble and his knees crouched low, it looked like he had leapt down from the floor above. _

_"Did you just jump down from the floor above?" she questioned._

_ Zuko smiled. "No, I sprung from underground" _

_"Ha ha, very funny" _

_"It was just a joke, Katara" said Zuko, leaping down from the balustrade with panther-like grace. _

_"I know what a joke is, thank you, very much" said Katara, her tone light and teasing. "But don't expect me to heal you if you fall down and break a few limbs" _

_"Well don't expect me to keep you warm during those nights on Sozin's crater" _

_A brief pause. _

_"Okay, you win, just don't do it all the time, you don't know when something might go wrong" _

_"Katara, I infiltrated a fortress and a high security prison, jumping from one floor to the other isn't much of a challenge" _

_"It doesn't matter what you've infiltrated, you could still get hurt" _

_"Are you questioning my abilities?" _

_"I am questioning that little thing we call luck" _

_Zuko opened his mouth retort but paused before speaking again. _

_"We could go on all day like this" he stated, in a matter-of-fact tone._

_ Katara nodded, understanding what he was getting at. "_

_We're wasting time" she affirmed._

_ Zuko nodded and closed the distance between them. Katara felt a heartbeat speed up and her breathing hitched. Before she could comprehend what was going on, Zuko's face was merely inches from hers, 'Oh my' was her last coherent thought before she felt his lips on hers. The kiss was chaste but intense (if such a thing was possible) Katara lost herself in the mind numbing feelings evoked by Zuko's pale lips. She felt a strong arm around her waist, protective but not possessive. _

_They finally parted after what felt like days, Katara gave a shy smile, as Zuko took a deep breath. _

_"There's something I want to give you" he said, his husky voice sending tremors of excitement through Katara's body. _

_"What?" she replied._

_Zuko pulled a black box out of his pocket and held it open. Inside the box was the most beautiful bangle she had ever seen. It was blood red with gold designs of a dragon and phoenix circling each other. It was the perfect level of sophistication and beauty, not too extravagant but not too shabby either. _

_"Oh, Zuko!" cried Katara, her eyes alight as she fingered the bangle. _

_"You like it" _

_"I love it!"_

_ Zuko smiled, relief written all over his face. Katara looked up and caught the unsaid written on his face. _

_"You didn't think I'd like this. Did you?" _

_"I... I wasn't sure what to get you for a gift, this is the first time I bought a gift for anyone"_

_ Katara raised an eyebrow. _

_"You never bought a gift for your uncle?" 'Not even for Mai?' she thought to herself.  
_

_"Mai never had much of an interest in gifts" said Zuko, as if he had read her thoughts. "And even if she did, I never knew what she was interested in and as for uncle, he pretty much buys his own gifts, a life long supply of tea" _

_Katara giggled. _

_"I really do like the bangle" she said, putting it on her wrist, it fit perfectly. "It's just that I don't want people to ask questions when they see it" _

_The relationship was a secret, it had been an unspoken agreement between them, Katara was all too aware of the negative impact their relationship would have on Zuko's image to the public. The waterbender knew that there were many Generals and Ministers looking to discredit the young Fire Lord, and their secret affair was the ideal situation. Katara despised the idea that the one thing that made her so happy in the world was also a seed of destruction, it pained the young girl that she had no one to open up to, but it was as it was. Their time together, she thought, was better off as a secret, or otherwise too many complications would dilute the magic. _

_"Then there's no need to put it on"Zuko's voice jarred Katar out of her thoughts.  
_

_Katara looked up in surprise. _

_"What?" _

_"There's no need to put it on, just keep it with you. As long as you have it with you, it's good enough for me"_

_ Katara smiled at the man she was proud to call her boyfriend. "I'll do just that" _

It had been during the early stages of their relationship, when their heads were still in the clouds and it was a long way before the distance and bitterness settled in. Katara was not sure why she had even packed the bangle into her bag for the journey, but a part of couldn't bear the idea of parting with it, especially when she was about to go on what sounded like a dangerous mission.

A sudden thud brought her out of her thoughts, Katara whirled around on the spot, thinking that a large predator was on it's way. Another loud thud, followed by another thud.

"What is that noise?" she muttered to herself, whirling around on the spot. "I've heard it before"

Another loud thud, followed by laughter. Katara frowned, as she placed her hands on her hips.

"_There _they are" she muttered to herself, another thud followed, this one large enough to shake the ground beneath her feet.

"What are they doing?" she muttered to herself.

Katara began to make her way through the trees towards the source of the noise._ Of course_ she thought. There was no way Aang could be found in an isolated place thinking about what had just happened, trust him to go thumping a bunch of rocks all over the place.

_and Toph's influence wasn't exactly helping either. _thought Katara. _ Zuko on the other hand would have_...

Katara shook her head, regardless of what had just happened, Aang and Zuko were completely different people, and she had to respect how they would go about their respective ways to tackle an issue. Still a small part of her noted that had it been her and Zuko in a fight, it would have been _him _seeking _her _out. Katara made her way through the trees, the noise of boulders barraging boulders grating upon her ears with each step she took.

"Honestly" she muttered. "Can't they keep it down, there's no need to make so much noise!"

Katara staggered through the trees, the loud noises and the shaking ground becoming more and more clear with each step she took. Eventually, the trees began to thin out and she came upon a clearing. What Katara saw made her jaw drop. She was standing near valley, much like the Great Divide but smaller. In the centre of the valley was a cluster of several tall pillars, on either end of the cluster was a tall pole. On each pole, Katara could see two figures throwing rocks at each other. Katara realized that Aang and Toph were playing a game much like airball (as she had once seen in the Southern Air Temple) only with giant rocks. Katara huffed angrily,_ How am I supposed to make them hear me with all that racket? _

As if fate had decided to answer her question, the game suddenly stopped and both figures descended their respective poles, in very different styles. One figure bended the pole into a huge oval shape and began to ride as if it were a surfboard towards where Katara was. The other figure, simply leapt from the pole and began to glide towards where she was.

_Well, that solves the mystery of whose who_

Toph's face came into view as she leapt from her makeshift transport to the edge of the valley, next to Katara. Around the same time, Aang landed next to Toph, giving Katara a _What are you doing here look_?.

"Uh..." Katara suddenly found herself in the presence of two people with whom she had argued with merely seconds ago.

"Hi" said Katara, in a rather hesitant tone.

Aang didn't respond, acting as if she wasn't there, the airbender unfurled his glider and leapt off the cliff and disappeared into the air.

_I yelled at him for nothing, I deserved that. _

Toph whistled.

"Boy, did he take that rough"

Katara shook her head.

"I just don't understand why he insists on acting like a child" she whispered, "Shouldn't he know by now that running away _never _solves anything?"

Toph turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

"Did you just ask that question? Seriously" she shook her head. "How did Zuko get along with you, I'll never know"

Katara turned to face her.

"And I want to talk about what _you _said" some of her old spirit returning to her voice.

Katara was disappointed and upset with the way she had treated Aang and there was no excuse for that, but it did not excuse the harsh words Toph had said. Out of everyone in the group, it was Toph who should understand Katara's sensitive side.

Toph looked up, she may have grown over the past two years but she was still the shortest in the group.

"Talk about what?" she asked in an innocent voice.

"The things you said about me back there" said Katara, placing her hands on her hips. "It's as if you think that I'm some insensitive twit!"

"You _are _an insensitive twit" said Toph. "It's the truth"

Katara's jaw dropped down in shock.

"I am _not_" she snapped, trying to portray her anger, in order to cover the brief stab of hurt.

"Of course, you are" said Toph, she turned away and flicked her wrist, with a tremendous thud, several, perfectly formed steps led from the cave all the way to the ground.

Katara followed her, determined to get answers from the girl whose mind was still such a mystery to her.

"How could you say that?" she persisted.

"Don't get me wrong, Sweetness" said Toph. "You're nice and all but sometimes you can be really clueless about how Aang feels"

"I-"

"You don't seem to realize that Aang is a human with feelings" said Toph.

For some reason, those words angered Katara, she who had seen Aang at his most vulnerable... was insensitive to his feelings? Katara had had enough. Leaning forward, she grabbed Toph's arm and spun her around.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

Katara ignored her.

"I'm insensitive to Aang's feelings?" hissed Katara. "Let me ask you something, _Toph_, were you there when we visited the Air Temple for the first time since he came out of the iceberg? Were you there when he saw the skeleton of his mentor and friend Monk Gyatso? _No _Who was there for him when he lost Appa? Who was there to bring him back every time he lost himself in the Avatar State? Who was there for Aang whenever he was lost, lonely or sad? _Me. _So don't you dare stand there and tell me that I'm insensitive to his feelings when I was there to wipe away his tears and to hug him when he was lonely and to give him comfort whenever he needed it. Don't you tell me, I'm insensitive when I've seen Aang at his most vulnerable! _Believe me_ when I say Toph, I know Aang is a human with feelings. Just because you've been alone with him these past two years _don't _assume that you know him better than I do, _because you don't_"

It was a credit to Toph's demeanour that she did not cringe nor even take a step back as Katara raised her voice with every syllable she spoke.

"That didn't come out right" muttered Toph. "Darn, I usually know what's going on in my head but you've really done a number on me, Sweetness, let me rephrase what I'm trying to say. The whole point of us travelling together: The reason you left your home, the reason I left my home, the reason we became a team was so that we could see Aang become the Avatar he needs to be. For you, the Avatar meant some major ass kicking power combined with an indefinite supply of hope, wisdom and all that mumbo jumbo. Aang was just a kid who wanted to play airball with the hog monkeys, somewhere along the line, the boundary between these two entities blurred and now you see Aang as the Avatar and vice versa"

"I.. don't know what you're talking about!" snapped Katara, a small part of her told her that there was some truth to what Toph was saying, but she dismissed it.

"I don't know where you've got all that" said Katara. "But I know that Aang and the Avatar are seperate, I met Aang when he was a twelve year old boy trying to get his bearings on a world that had changed. That's how I know him: Aang, first, Avatar second"

"As a friend, yes, but what about as his.... girlfriend?"

For some reason, Toph hesitated when she said those words, but this went unnoticed to Katara, who was preoccupied with her own thoughts.

I... don't know what to say" said Katara, for a part of her realized that Toph was justified in what she said.

"Well, that's a first" said Toph.

"But I have one question, back in the camp, I was yelling at Aang because he threw the bracelet into the fire, why would you start yelling at me about not respecting his feelings?"

"Because you weren't thinking about his feelings" said Toph. "I'm not defending Twinkles, he showed the maturity of a two-year-old when he threw that piece of jewellery into the fire, but what _you _did was also wrong, dangling a present from another guy in front of him like that. You did that because deep down, you thought that the chances of Aang confronting you about it were minimal, cause let's face it, he's almost like masochist when it comes to you"

Katara's jaw dropped in shock, surprised that Toph would even say such a thing.

"I _do not _treat him like a masochist" she snapped.

"Uh, huh" said Toph, in a _I know, you know that it's the truth _tone_. _

Katara opened her mouth to retort but froze, she suddenly realized that Toph did have a point regarding the bangle. When Suki noted piece of jewellery on her wrist, she should have just put it in her pocket and be forthright about where it came from. But she did not do that, instead, Katara gushed about the bangle, inciting Aang's jealousy (and probably) his insecurity. The waterbender now knew that Toph was speaking the truth, deep down she had not expected Aang to confront her about the bangle _or _throw it into the fire, hence, her loud reaction, Aang was certainly not a masochist and she did not treat him like one, of that Katara was certain but she did not think about his feelings because she did not consider the possibility that Aang had the nerve to confront her.

"I shouldn't have treated him like that" she murmured to herself. "I should have been more respectful about his feelings"

To Katara's surprise, Toph reached up and grabbed a rather sensitive part of her anatomy, the waterbender gasped in surprise, as Toph began to pat it.

"You're finally admitting you're mistake, way to go to Sweetness"

"Toph... what are you doing?"

"I'm patting you, why?"

Toph suddenly faltered, as she realized _what _exactly she had been patting.

"I'm not touching your shoulder, am I?"

Katara's silence spoke volumes.

Toph withdrew her hand faster than a blinking eye.

"Spirits, kill me, kill me now"

Katara did not speak, she was too surprised at how her body had responded to the touch of Toph's pale fingers, even if the touch was unintentional. Nobody had ever touched her...assets before, except her grandmother for the purpose of measuring them, that had been an experience that nearly killed her with embarrassment. Katara was suddenly drilled out of her thoughts by pale finger inches from her nose.

"Don't ever mention it to anyone or I'll bury you six feet under and not let you out for three days " she snapped, in a rather aggressive tone.

Katara did not say anything, for she was just as embarrassed as Toph was. Both young benders stood there, not knowing how to diffuse the awkward tension between them.

"I'm going down" said Toph.

Katara stood there, not knowing what to do or say, after what felt like minutes, she decided that she would keep this thing silent. The last thing Katara wanted was the men to find out about this, Sokka would _never _let her rest in peace.

It did not take long for Katara to find her way back to their camp, the fire had been reinvigorated by Suki and Sokka while she been away and the smoke that floated up in the air provided a convenient signal for her. Katara only hoped that it wasn't an obvious give away for potential trouble seekers. Katara entered the camp, to find Suki and Sokka sitting opposite each other, both of them deeply absorbed in something on the ground between them. In the reflection of the fire, Katara could see a frown crease Sokka's features, his forefinger resting deftly on his upper lip. Katara had seen that look before, the look told her he was concentrating on something and not even an explosion would disturb him. Suki, too had a similar look on her face but was not as oblivious to her surroundings as her boyfriend was, she smiled briefly at Katara when she entered the camp. Katara decided not to ask what they were doing, partly because she wanted to give them privacy but also because she had no intention of being pulled into her brother's problems, not when she had plenty of her own.

But Katara's curiosity was like a fire that burnt all the more brighter and longer when doused with fuel, and right now, the couple's activities were providing more than enough fuel. The waterbender never imagined her brother and girlfriend as the type to sit around and play games (if that's what they were doing) Katara tried to busy herself, she bustled around with a pot and water with the intention of making tea, and even then her eyes would glance Sokka's way. She made her tea and sat on the ground. Occasionally, one of them would reach out to something then withdraw their arm. Katara couldn't help the curiosity any more, she was about to ask her question when.

"AAAAHHH!!!"

Sokka let out a high pitched cry of triumph, he left his seat and began to dance around like a maniac, all dignity forgotten. Katara stared at him, as if he had grown six heads.

"Are you okay?"

Suki on the other hand, was studying whatever it was that lay on the ground with close scrutiny.

"Hey!" she cried out. "That's not fair! You cheated!"

Sokka stopped dancing around and looked at her, as is she had just said that science was the source of all evil.

"_Did not!" _he snapped.

"_Did to" _

"Uh...what are you guys talking about?" intervened Katara, like an innocent girl asking her parents what they were arguing about.

"Mahjong" said Suki, without taking her eyes off Sokka.

"What's that?"

"It's a board game" explained Suki, turning around to face Katara. "Captains and leaders alike play it frequently as it is said to improve tactical thinking"

"And I think we both know whose the better tactician between us, Suki" intervened Sokka, with a cocky grin that made Katara barf.

Suki rolled her eyes.

"_Please, _you totally cheated" Though there was no real conviction behind her words

"Really?" said Sokka, in a voice he thought was smooth and flirtatious. "Then care to explain, _how _I cheated?"

Suki did not reply, confirming the fact that Sokka had won fair and square.

"Don't worry, I'm sure my tribe would be more than willing to take the Kyoshi Warriors in"

"You jerk!" cried Suki, though there was no venom in her voice.

The warrior leapt at Sokka, who fell to the ground upon impact with a loud thud.

"Suki!" cried Sokka, unable to say anything else, for Suki had straddled him on the waist, with a mischievous smile on her face. Without warning, her nimble fingers flew to Sokka's sides and began to tickle him mercilessly.

"Suki, HA HA HA!!! Stop, HA HA HA HA!!"

"Take back what you said!"

"Never!"

"Then prepare to be tortured!"

Katara rolled her eyes at their childish behaviour, before getting up and leaving the clearing, their laughter echoing in her ears. The waterbender thought it best to give them privacy, knowing Suki and Sokka, what started as an innocent game of tickling could end up in a long make-out session.

_It would be good if those two can makeup _thought Katara.

The waterbender was jarred out of her thinking by the abrupt swish of air over her clothes. Katara whirled around, her hand going to her hips, when she suddenly remembered that she had left her water pouch back in the clearing.

"Relax, Katara, it's just me"

The familiar voice brought her back to her sense of easiness, as she saw Aang furl his glider back into a staff. Beside him, he saw Toph stagger away.

"Toph, are you alright?"

Katara noted the concern in Aang's voice.

"No, just fine, I need to barf cause not only am I air sick but also because I can sense Suki and Sokka trashing around the camp like a pair of eels"

Katara giggled at her words, the short lived laughter died in her throat, as she noticed the serious look on Aang's face.

"Katara, I-"

"No, Aang" interrupted the waterbender. "I apologise, It wasn't right off me to do what I did, and that's dangle that bangle in your face, I should have thought about how you would have felt, you had every right to be angry"

Aang shook his head.

"We could go on, all night" noted Aang. "But I just want to say that I was wrong too, it wasn't my place to grab a gift from Zuko and throw it into the fire, it was really stupid and really immature of me"

Katara smiled at the Aang's honesty.

"Forgive and Forget?!" she asked, hope written all over her voice.

Aang smiled back. "That's what the monks used to say"

The pleasant words were followed by a brief silence.

"Is there anything I could do to repair it?"

Katara shook her head.

"I don't think so, it's kind of ruined"

"Oh"

An awkward silence filled the air between them.

"So..."

Katara looked up and noticed Aang leaning closer, his lips puckered and his eyes closed. The waterbender knew what was coming next and decided to stay still, she had done this several times before, how hard could it be? Aang's puckered lips inched ever closer to her mouth, his thin eyebrows raised up past the blue arrow on his head. Katara stared at the blue arrow, as if trying to distract herself from what was to come. But something within her began to recoil, like a snake rearing it's head to strike.

At the last second, Katara turned away and cringed in disappointment when she felt Aang's soft lips against her cheek. There was an awkward moment as everything seemed to have frozen in air, nothing moved, not even the crickets could be heard making a sound. Katara did not move from her position and she refused to turn around and look into Aang's eyes, she could feel the Avatar's gaze on her and Katara knew that what she had done was horrible.

_I'm a monster _she thought to herself. But small part of her applauded her actions.

"I'm going to bed" said Aang, and Katara cringed at his tone, cold and uncaring.

Katara felt rather than see Aang glare at her one last time before leaving the area.

* * *

_Two days later _

Zuko had descended from the war balloon expecting a rhino to ride with the guard towards the palace unannounced and nobody aware. However, when the prince had stepped down from the balloon, the streets of the capital city weren't like anything he had envisioned. Instead of the busy paths that consisted of all walks of life, from rich noblemen to simple street urchins. Zuko was greeted by a massive cheering crowd. The young prince was stunned by the enthusiasm from the endless rows of people, as they lined the streets hailing his return. Zuko had never been in a such a situation before, he could clearly remember the day he had made a rousing speech about the end of the war two years ago but that was different he had been _prepared. _A noisy crowd that roared at the mere gesture of his hand was something he had not been expecting and the sheer weight of it nearly made him collapse. Zuko ignored the callings from the crowd, as he smacked his forehead.

"Uncle" he hissed under his breath, he was the only man who would take his clandestine return and turn it into the biggest bonanza of the year.

"Your Highness, If I may speak, sir"

Zuko turned to the middle aged man who was a member of his guard.

"What is it?"

"We can easily disperse the crowd, if you would prefer it" he said,in a small voice.

Zuko sighed, tempting as it was to take up the guard's offer, Zuko knew that it won't be the smart thing to do.

"No thank you" sighed Zuko. "Let's go"

Zuko entered the city gates, flanked by his guard and waved at the crowd, their ruptures increased tenfold, as he did so.

_Am I suppose to do this right throughout the ride to the palace? _thought Zuko, hoping that it wouldn't be so.

But as fate would have it, he had no such luck, throughout the lengthy ride to the palace, Zuko was forced to wave continuously at the crowd of faceless people, who hailed him like some sort of hero, returning from a great odyssey.

_Why are they waving at me? _Thought Zuko. _What have I done to deserve such praise? _

Zuko had left this city to fix the problems that came about as a result of ending the war and he only returned with more problems than before.

"They're better off booing at me" he murmured to himself.

"Did you say something, my prince?"

Zuko shook his head, not wanting to reveal his insecurity to his employees.

"No"

The ride to the palace from the harbour was usually a long one, but the presence of a boisterous crowd eager to see their prince made it infinitely longer. Zuko had lost count of the number of times that the procession had to stop so that his guards could teach a few of the people their place. On two separate occasions, the entire guard had nearly been mauled by groups of women waving scrolls that had the title _The Prince Zuko Fan Club _written across the top in kanji. Zuko had been surprised, as he had no clue that he had had a fan club, it did not matter because he did not care. Zuko only thoughts was of his warm, comfortable bed and it was enough to sustain his patience, otherwise, he would have blown up half the capital with the anger that was building up inside him.

After what felt like hours, Zuko was able to make it to the palace gates. The prince looked on at the colossal gates made of wood, feeling a sense of wonder and apprehension, he had not felt in a long time.

"Prince Zuko?"

Zuko didn't answer because his mind was too far-gone in thought to hear it coherently. For the first time since he had made the decision to return home. Zuko now realized that it had been over year since he had last seen these gates. It had been over year since he had last seen the palace he had to call his home, over a year since he had seen, the massive corridors he ran along as a child and stalked around in his early teens, the rooms where he used to play hide and seek with Azula, the serene gardens: the green pastures, the soothing lake where he would sit with his mother and feed the turtleducks. The memories flew at him like a tiger springing to freedom after years of being held in a cage. It had been over year since I had seen his uncle. At the thought of the old man a smile crossed my lips.

"Let's go home" he murmured to himself.

Zuko turned towards the rest of the guard and nodded. The fifty firebenders nudged their rhinos and rode forward. A small thud resonated throughout the area and the gates were pulled open.

A magnificent courtyard of white stone greeted the small procession surrounded by tall walls with guards dotted along the lengthy structure. A fountain with six intricately carved dragons spouting water out of their mouth stood in the centre. Passed the fountain was a massive flight of steps flanked by two massive stone statues of winged dragons. Zuko's eyes trailed up the familiar bronze coloured steps to where a massive delegation waited to greet their prince. Zuko couldn't help but smile, Iroh would be amongst the delegation, he would finally get to see him. Zuko entered the courtyard and dismounted the rhino, the guard copied their prince's actions and followed. Zuko took a deep breath and began to make his way through towards the stairs. Awareness of his surroundings faded away, as Zuko ascended the flight of steps to where the delegation was. The royal guard followed behind him in two lines. After hours of travelling and minutes of sitting stiff on a rhino, Zuko's legs felt like lead but he managed to reach the end of the steps and found himself standing before a massive crowd of people and it took all his self-control to make sure that his displeasure did not express itself through a scowl as he recognized some of the faces who greeted him with passive expressions. Standing in the centre of the delegation, was a short but well-built man with long grey hair and a smile plastered on his familiar face. Iroh approached his nephew, his arms neatly tucked into the sleeves of his robes

"Prince Zuko" he said in a tone that was so familiar "It is good to see you again"

Had it been just the two of them, Zuko would have pulled the man into a tight embrace and returned his comment, but instead, he merely got down on one knee and humbly bowed his head, as etiquette stated and said.

"Your Majesty, I have returned out of mere obedience and devotion to you"

Iroh nodded no doubt at the solemnity and dignity of his tone before placing his hand on his nephew's shoulders and saying.

"Rise, Prince Zuko"

Zuko got to his feet, wobbling steadily from sheer exhaustion. Iroh turned towards the crowd who stood by passively.

"A delegation has gathered to greet you" he said.

_T__hanks a lot, uncle _thought Zuko, as he recognized several ministers and generals with whom he had in the past had several bitter arguments.

Iroh gave him a sharp look and his message was instantly clear _behave_.

Following his obligations, Zuko bowed low at the waist before saying.

"It is indeed a pleasure to return to the capital after so long and I thank Minister Yen and the rest of the cabinet for your approval of the work done by me and my men"

The middle-aged minister smiled at Zuko's words before stepping aside. Iroh took over after Zuko's brief words.

"I am sure that the prince is exhausted after such an extensive trip. If you would proceed to the Dining Hall for the banquet while the prince refreshes himself that would be most gracious of you all"

The ministers and generals humbly bowed before the royal family before turning and walking towards the entrance of the palace. Zuko leaned down so that he was level with his stout uncle.

"Banquet?"

Iroh turned towards Zuko, a small smile on his face. "You don't honestly think that I would welcome my nephew home after a year and not make it a big occasion, do you?"

Zuko slapped his forehead and groaned, he should have known that his uncle would pull something like this, talking with people over dinner he 'd rather choke to death was the last thing Zuko wanted to do. In the prince's mind, the image of the cosy, warm four-poster bed shattered to little pieces.

"Uncle!"

"Zuko you are not a soldier right now but a prince" lectured Iroh in a that tone that drove Zuko mad."And being polite towards people over dinner you'd rather strangle to death is something you must do… and we have much to talk about"

Zuko nodded in understanding pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Come, Zuko" said Iroh, in a fatherly tone. "Refresh yourself and come to the banquet, I know you want a good rest but there are certain issues that we need to discuss and time is not on our side"

* * *

Lee was having an extremely stressful day, of course, when one worked for the royal family, stressful days were the norm of the job but today was especially infuriating because every little thing seemed to be working against him. It was amazing, thought Lee, how a spilt cup of tea was more likely to set him off than a dispute between the refugees and the settlers of the island. Even the scrolls that the Lieutenant needed at a certain time were not available when he needed it to be so. Lee sighed, a vent of smoke escaping his nostrils.

"Sen Su!" The captain entered the tent at once, "Yes, sir"

"Fetch me a cup and full pot of tea" said Lee. "Leave it here in my tent"

Sen Su paused before nodding. "Very well, sir" Lee smirked to himself, but the smirk was short lived when he saw who it was that entered the tent.

Zac Fou smiled at the Lieutenant, who greeted him with a cold smile.

"Good day, Lieutenant Lee"

Lee nodded tersely, he wished he could send this man away but he couldn't be rude to the leader of the community who he had been tasked to resettle. The old man's eyes danced around Lee's table before returning to the Lieutenant.

"It would seem like you're having a rough time" he commented.

Lee shrugged.

"It's part of the job"

Zac Fou nodded, Lee did not invite the man to sit down as he should have, there was something in the old man's eyes that struck him as suspicious.

"I was surprised to hear that Prince Zuko had returned to the capital and left you here in charge to do the brunt of the work"

Lee shrugged.

"The prince trusts me to do the right thing" he said.

"I'm sure he does" said Zac Fou. "And you're a very capable Lieutenant, of that I am certain, but still... to have left his subordinates in charge while he returns to the palace.... one can only imagine what he might be doing there while you're here slaving away"

Lee took a deep breath, something inside him screamed at him to send the old man out but diplomacy dictated that he do it in a subtle manner.

"Zac Fou, as you may have noticed I do not have the time for idle chitchat" he said. "What is it that you want?"

Zac Fou took a deep breath.

"The people of Sozin are hoping to treat you to dinner" he said. "A thank you of sorts for all your efforts"

Lee sighed.

"Zac Fou, I appreciate-"

"I insist"

The abrupt change in tone caught Lee off guard, Zac Fou had only spoken two words, but those two words were spoken with authority and command, as if Zac Fou was used to giving orders and having them obeyed. Lee was not intimidated by the man's tone, but he could not ignore the man's influence over the people of Sozin.

_Curse this man and curse his influence. _

"When is this dinner?"

"Tonight" said Zac Fou, returning to his usual cordial tone. "Please be at my tent by sundown"

"Am I allowed to bring any guests?" added Lee, he needed someone who could help in observing Zac Fou.

The old man paused as he considered the Lieutenant's request.

"Two men if you wish" he said. "We do not have the resources to give food for more than that, but it's the quality that counts not the quantity, eh?"

Lee nodded.

"I will be there"

Zac Fou nodded, a small smile on his face. "I look forward to your attendance, Lieutenant"

* * *

"So the attack on Sozin was just a ruse?" concluded Iroh. "A ruse to pull you out and capture you"

Zuko nodded, having just given his report on the events that nearly ended up in getting him killed. Iroh nodded and sipped his cup of tea.

"I'm glad you're alive, nephew" he said, with heart felt warmth only a father could express.

Zuko smiled.

"It was all thanks to Sui, I won't have made it out alive if it weren't for her"

Iroh's smile turned into a frown as he asked his next question.

"What has become of the girl?" he said. "Surely, she would have gone into hiding after she had set you free?"

Zuko recalled Sui's last words.

_I won't betray the T'ien Ti. _

But in his eyes, Sui had already let betrayed them when she let him go.

"I don't know" he said honestly.

_I hope she's not dead _he thought.

Iroh sighed. "In any case, this means we have lost the largest city in the north, and now the entire northern half of the mainland could be under danger. I have dispatched both navel and armed forces to certain towns and villages, we're strained for manpower but that cannot be helped"

Zuko sighed and rubbed his throbbing temple.

"It sounds like we have a civil war on our hands" he said, an awkward pause filled the air as both men contemplated the words that were just said.

Both of them knew the implications of the fall of Sozin to the rebels but neither of them had been willing to acknowledge the problem until now. To Zuko, there was no point in procrastinating the issue, the sooner they faced the problem head on, the sooner a solution will come to pass.

"I had always known that this day would come" murmured Iroh. "It was quite obvious that there were people discontent with the idea of not fighting a war, but... one thing struck me as odd. According to Sui, the T'ien Ti had no interest in the Hundred Year War and that they have a history with the royal family. What could she have meant by that?"

Zuko shrugged. "A bluff? Perhaps to throw of us off a loop, but in any case, I came back to do some research on the history of the royal family"

"When Firelord Sozin, started the war, he had all history pertaining to the Fire Nation altered or eradicated, he wanted to make sure that future generations did not see our country as anything more than one big war machine, he also wanted to propound the idea that our civilization was superior to others and that it was our duty to 'correct' the error of their ways"

Zuko snorted contemptuously, not for the first time in his life, did Zuko wonder about his father's bloodline and how far they were willing to go to satisfy their greed and ego, he recalled his father's atrocious plan to burn the Earth Kingdom and sighed with disgust. Had Firelord Sozin known that his grandson and great grandson were working tirelessly to undo everything he did, he would probably be breathing fire in his grave. The thought gave Zuko some grim satisfaction.

"Where can I get unedited, unaltered records of Fire Nation history?"

For a moment, Zuko was convinced that Iroh would say it was impossible, that such records did not exist. But to Zuko's surprise, Iroh pulled out something from his sleeve and flipped it into the air. A pai sho tile. Zuko smiled.

"Piandao's castle?"

"Shu Jing" confirmed the old man.

Zuko nodded. "If that is all, then I shall take my leave" he said.

Zuko got to his feet and was about to make his way to the door when Iroh spoke again.

"Zuko, that is not all, there Is something we must talk about"

Zuko groaned, he was _exhausted _and he had the Air Balloon proposal to discuss with one of the ministers later that night. Couldn't he get a few minutes rest?

"Uncle, can't it wait-"

"No, it can't"

Iroh's tone made Zuko, pause, it was a grave tone one devoid of humour and his light-hearted attitude. The tone made Zuko pause in his tracks and look around. Iroh gestured to the seat he had vacated.

"Please sit down"

Zuko returned to his seat. Iroh took a deep breath.

"When I received word of what had happened to Sozin, I already guessed that our country's stability was at peril and that you would be in the front-line of a tough fight"

"We've been in the front line of tough fights before, Uncle" said Zuko, in a rather tired voice.

"But this one is different" persisted Iroh. "With Azula, we knew that she would be after our lives, a fight for our life and freedom simplified the scenario a great deal. But Zuko, the fight against the T'ien Ti, will not only challenge our will to live, it will also challenge our ideals, and our will to protect others" Zuko frowned, not liking what his uncle was saying.

"Uncle, we can take care of the T'ien Ti"

"Not on our own" said Iroh, there was hint of finality in his tone that told Zuko that his uncle had already set some plans in motion.

"What did you do?"

"I sent a letter to Avatar Aang and his friends, requesting their assistance"

"YOU WHAT!" yelled Zuko, leaping to his feet.

"Nephew, control yourself"

Zuko took a deep breath, trying to keep his flaring temper under check, when he spoke, it was in a calm voice.

"Please tell me, that you are joking?"

Iroh shook his head. "I sent them a message, I got a reply from the Avatar himself saying that he will be here along with the entire 'gaang' as he put it"

Zuko's thoughts immediately went to Katara.

"Everyone?"

"Everyone"

Zuko shook his head.

"No uncle, you shouldn't have had done that!" he snapped.

Zuko could not bare the thought of his friends being embroiled in a fight that was not their worry, especially Katara, who in his eyes, had earned her years of peace.

Iroh raised an eyebrow.

"Why? Aren't you glad for the extra help from people you know we can trust?"

"I... that's not the point this isn't their battle uncle! They don't need to be here!"

"And you don't think that you're friends wouldn't be concerned about your welfare once they find out that civil war has come to the Fire Nation?" said Iroh, in a hard tone that he barely used when talking to his nephew. But the prince was not backing down.

"And you wouldn't think I wouldn't worry about them if they came here?" retorted Zuko. "Especially, Katara-" he halted in mid sentence as he realized his mistake.

_Oh crap _he thought. _Quick, think of something before uncle figures it out. _

"What I mean is... Katara has been through a really hard childhood because of the Fire Nation, what makes you think she would want to help me prevent it from falling to pieces?"

To his ears, the question was a logical one. However, the way, his uncle was looking at him, gave Zuko the disticnt impression that he had done an atrocious deed.

Iroh didn't reply, instead he stared at his nephew with narrowed, calculative eyes. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he sighed and turned away.

"If that's what you honestly think of Lady Katara" he said, in a grave voice. "Then you might as well not call her a friend at all"

With those words, Iroh returned to his desk and began to read a scroll, his own silent way of dismissing Zuko.

* * *

With each minute that passed, Lee was starting to get the feeling that attending Zac Fou's dinner had been a bad idea. Not that the dinner itself was horrible, the food was quite good considering the fact that they were refugees had scarce resources and the entertainment consisted of typical Fire Nation music and dancing. The night would have been an enjoyable one had it not been for the underlying currents of tension. Lee got the distinct feeling that many citizens were uncomfortable with the idea of serving the Lieutenant, not when they had other things to do like feed their own families. Lee was glad that he had brought Colonel Qin with him, who like him was uncomfortable with the company but was much more apt at hiding it than he was.

As Lee chewed on his eel and rice, he felt rather than saw Zac Fou approach him and sit next to him. The Lieutenant was immediately on his guard.

"I thank you for your hospitality"

Zac Fou shrugged. "It was nothing" he said. "It is the least we can do"

Lee shrugged and began shovelling food into his mouth. Had Zuko been around he would simply say._ I haven't done anything worthy of your time and effort. I can't accept this._

But Lee thought it extremely foolish to refuse free food when it was offered. He could still remember his days in North Chung-Ling when he had to forgo certain meals.

"I hope you don't mind the young children" said Zac Fou, gesturing to the group of small children, playing in a corner.

Lee shrugged.

"Not at all"

_So long as they leave me alone _he thought.

Beside him, Colonel Qin snorted. Zac Fou was silent for a while.

"If I'm not being too intrusive" he said, speaking after a while. "May I ask where you're from?"

"North Chung-Ling"

Zac Fou merely nodded.

"Have you ever heard or seen this play named _The Prince and the Boy_?"

Lee snorted, already annoyed at where the conversation was going.

"Who the heck would want to see that?"

Zac Fou smiled. "It's not that bad. Tragedies are always worth it"

Lee raised an eyebrow.

"Tragedy? It's a tragedy that a play like that was ever _written" _

"You have an aversion to plays don't you?"

"You would too if you had seen the Ember Island Player's rendition of Love Amongst Dragons"

Zac Fou chuckled.

"The Prince and the Boy was not written by the Ember Island Players nor would they ever perform something so... tragic"

"What's it about?"

Truth be told, Lee was not interested in Zac Fou and this play he wanted to talk about, he was merely trying to humour the man who had given him food.

"It's about a ruler of a faraway land and his inability to control his desires"

"That ain't tragedy that's real life"

"Let me finish"

It was portrayed as a request but there was a subtle hint of command that made Lee silent.

"This king, had several concubines at his command, he used protection whenever he was with them, but on one occasion he slipped"

Lee rolled his eyes but bit back the urge to say anything.

"Of course, the concubine was impregnated with his child, the king could not accept it, he wanted to protect his reputation, he already had another son, you see, and he needed to keep his wife from knowing the truth. So, he ordered the captain of his guard to kill the child"

Lee frowned. Where was Zac Fou going with this?

"Of course, the captain could not kill the child because he was secretly in love with the concubine"

"Figures" muttered Lee.

_A guy is in love with a woman, whose full time job is please someone else, riiight..._

"Instead, he had the child and the mother arranged to be taken to a far away city. When the king got word of this, he had the captain executed. Killed in the name of love" added Zac Fou

"How tragic" said Lee, unable to keep his sarcastic opinions silent.

"Years passed and the boy grew up, never knowing who he truly was until one day... the prince, the king's son came for him. You see, Lee, upon his death the king had revealed the existence of this bastard child to his legitimate son. The prince feared that he could be a possible contender to his throne and so sought to have his half brother eliminated...."

Lee waited for the old man to continue his story, even though he wasn't really interested. However, when Zac Fou remained silent, Lee turned to him, demanding an explanation with his fiery brown eyes.

"I forgot the rest" his tone was so causal, one would think he was commenting on the weather.

Lee could only stare at the man in surprise, cursing the man for gaining his attention only to leave him hanging. Lee decided to shrug it off.

"I hate plays, especially cheesy ones like that"

To his surprise, Zac Fou chuckled.

"The thing you must know, Lieutenant Lee"

Zac Fou's voice was low, deep and authoritative.

"Is that plays are never truly fictional, some of it is always based on _real life_"

For some reason, he had put a great deal of emphasis on the last two words, he was looking at Lee in a strange way, as if trying to convey some sort of message with his eyes alone. Lee shivered, not liking the intense scrutiny he was subject to.

"Real life? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Some of the most compelling plays in the world have been inspired by real life _incidents, _it's what makes them so endearing" whispered Zac Fou. "Keep that in mind, Lieutenant Lee"

With those ambiguous words, Zac Fou got to his feet, the leader of the people didn't even acknowledge Lee as he crossed the length of the small hut and made his way towards the children playing in a group. Lee stared at the back of the retreating man, the wheels in his mind churning

"What the heck was he getting at?"

Beside him, Colonel Qin snorted, Lee rounded him. "What?"

Qin turned away and began to poke at his rice. "I think he likes you"

Lee frowned at his fellow officer. "Shut up"

* * *

_A/N: Thanks a lot guys. Please review. _


	20. Rest and Relaxation Well Almost

_AN: I want to thank all the people who reviewed: wolf, AnnaAza, Sun Daughter, BlackMidnight1, Rohain Tahquil and a5h13y 101 thanks alot alot guys! Six more reviews to go guys!!  
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_This chapter is a little different from the others, it's a more of a filler than anything else as it doesn't do much in terms of plot (a little but not much) But please read!!! _

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* * *

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**_Chapter 19 - Rest And Relaxation... Well Almost. _**

"How's the bath, your Majesty?"

Zuko didn't respond, the sensation of warm water gliding over his skin was a feeling to be bask in and not waste time talking. Zuko took a deep breath and sighed in content.

"It's good" was his ambiguous reply.

"Would you like anything? Food? A massage? Some.... company?"

Zuko shook his head.

"That would be all, chamberlain"

The stout man nodded.

"Then I shall take my leave, sir"

Zuko leaned back against the marble frame of the pool and closed his eyes as he allowed himself to relax for the first time in what felt like years. It felt good to be treated like this after months of bathing in river water and sleeping on paltry beds on the hard, unforgiving ground. Zuko loved travelling with his regiment and exploring the land that was his country, but travelling outdoors meant having to give up certain luxuries such as steamed baths and three course meals, luxuries that he never thought he would actually miss until he had dipped into the steam pool first thing in the morning. The prince sighed in content, as he felt his muscles relax, and his body loosen. Zuko closed his eyes and let his mind go blank, monitoring his breathing in deep breaths. The prince knew that he had a mountain of paperwork to be done, followed by a meeting with the ministers at noon, so it was a good idea to do some meditating before tackling the stressful day. As the prince fell into the reverie of meditation, he could feel his breathing slowing and a peaceful feeling of calm and tranquillity took over him, covering him like a warm blanket...

* * *

_A few hours later.. _

"What do you mean the office is locked!"

"I'm sorry, your majesty but Fire Lord Iroh gave specific orders that you are not to have access-"

"It's my office" snapped Zuko. "Nobody decides when I should enter it and when I cannot. Unlock this door now!"

"But the key is with the Fire Lord, your majesty, and he has stated that he will not be available the whole day, as he had to go out to inspect the City Square for Music Night Festival"

"I-"

Zuko paused in mid sentence as he suddenly realized that there was simply no point in yelling at the chamberlain. The man was simply following orders from the monarch. Zuko ran a hand through his hair, already feeling the efforts meditations disappearing.

_I'll just have to find another way then_

Zuko turned around and walked away, with the intention of scaling the balconies to get to his room. Zuko turned away, he had barely gone a few paces when the chamberlain spoke again.

"Your Majesty, the Fire Lord also told me to leave a message for you: That all windows in your room, have been barricaded"

Zuko absorbed the words, cursing his uncle.

_He shouldn't be known as the Dragon of the West _he thought to himself. _More like the Snake of the West. _

Zuko growled in frustration, as he contemplated what he should do next.

"What am I suppose to do now?" he murmured.

"He said that you should take a day off" interrupted the chamberlain.

Zuko was surprised, he did not realize that he had been speaking out loud.

"Take the day off?"

The thought of not doing anything was a foreign idea to Zuko, he couldn't recall having any free time,with the exception of spending time with his mother in the lake.

"What am I suppose to do" he growled angrily.

"Oh, and the Fire Lord has stated that the meeting has been postponed to tomorrow evening"

Zuko did not react, he did not blow a fuse. The prince just walked away.

* * *

It only took Zuko a few seconds to realize that adjusting to life in the palace wouldn't be easy as he had thought it would be. Take for example his appearance, It felt odd to be cleaned and groomed, after months of living of meagre cleaning water. For the first time in what felt like years, Zuko's hair was tied back into a topknot with the gold crown perched on his head. Zuko's felt head heavy with the piece of gold like his entire head was about to fall onto his neck. It also felt strange to be wearing good robes, Zuko had been living on his simple travel clothes for so long that wearing standard Fire Nation robes felt both uncomfortable, heavy and restrictive on movement. Then there was the issue of being royal, Zuko had not travelled on a palanquin for so long that he had forgotten that the Fire Nation even _had _palanquins. Which was why, when he had announced his intention to visit Mai, his attendants were in an immediate uproar as to how he would get there. Instead, of allowing him to walk the few paces to the house, as Zuko had wanted to, his attendants insisted he get there by palanquin. Zuko had argued , saying that he would be getting out of the palanquin before he could even get comfortable and that there was no reason to work the palanquin bearers on unnecessary journeys. But the attendants insisted that he travel on palanquin, even if it was for a few minutes. Zuko would have continued to argue had it not been for the screaming fan girls who were just beyond the gate.

Now Zuko stood in the entrance hall of Mai's house, waiting for the young woman to come out and greet him. Zuko had no idea what he was going to say or what had compelled him to make this visit. For months, he and Mai had kept in touch but it was only through letters written with a half-hearted effort on both sides. Zuko felt, had an excuse for his half-hearted letters, he was filled to his collar with work but he always took the time to write down well thought out letters. Unfortunately, Mai did not reciprocate his efforts and sent letters that were not even a quarter the length of his own. It had frustrated Zuko because he felt that he should have gotten more attention from her, Mai's letters instead of becoming a source of joy, as he had thought it would be, became a source of bitterness and he began to send letters more out of obligation rather than out of genuine interest. The last letter he had written to her was over a month ago. Zuko couldn't help but think about Katara, in this case. Had she been in Mai's situation, they would not have been writing letters but Katara would have wanted to undertake the journey with him. Zuko took a deep breath, the difference between Katara and Mai was like that of a lantern to a candle. Katara was bright and radiant, whose compassion and optimism could light up a whole room. Mai had spirit but she choose to hide it through an indifferent demeanour that infuriated Zuko to no end, like a candle whose fire would eventually burn out, as would Mai's good qualities.

Zuko sighed and wondered if there was anything he could salvage from his relationship with Mai. The shuffle of a robe was all the warning he got. Zuko looked up and found Mai staring at him with impassive could simply stare, he forgot how to breathe, it had been too long since he had last seen her. Mai had not changed in the slightest, from the long bangs that fell over her face like a curtain, to the dreary dark clothes to the unscrutable pale expression.

"Mai, I-"

"Let's talk in my room" she cut through his uncertain words with her dead, impassive voice.

Zuko shook his head and followed her, he did not bother looking at Mai as he ascended the stairs because he knew that he would not be able to read anything behind that stiff, elegant posture. The two of them made their way through the lengthy corridors towards Mai's room.

Mai's room was essentially a small apartment, though it was much larger than the one Zuko had shared with his uncle in Ba Sing Se. The door opened to reveal the first part of Mai's room, a large couch was placed in the middle with a balcony no further than a few paces, the balcony gave a splendid view of the sprawling city before him. Zuko could remember the time he and Mai had spent up here, he had learned that there had been a war meeting, one that he did not know about until Mai inadvertently told him about it. Zuko shook his head at the old memories that seemed as if they were lifetime ago. Zuko glanced at the couch and remembered how Mai had wanted a fruit tart with rose petals on top more than anything else in the world, back then Zuko did not think about it because he _could _provide her with what she wanted, but now Zuko found the thought, shallow... almost meaningless.  
As soon as Zuko entered the room and heard the door close behind him, he felt like he had walked into a trap. Mai strode over to the couch though she did not sit, instead she choose to remain standing. Zuko stood where he was and looked into his dark brown eyes, hard as stone and cold as ice, he wished he could tell what she was thinking but reading Mai was like trying to read a map without directions. Mai stared at him for a few minutes, as if wondering whether she should throw her daggers at him. Finally, after several terse minutes, Mai spoke.

"You didn't write"

_You never did either _was the words he wanted to say but Zuko thought better than that.

"It wasn't my intention to ignore you" he said, bluntly. "But these past couple of months have been hard on me"

_ These past couple of days almost killed me. _

Mai's expression did not change.

"Still, you should have made the effort I'm your girlfriend, Zuko... or atleast I thought I was"

Zuko took a deep breath and counted to ten in his head.

"If you were so eager to hear from me" hissed Zuko. "Then you should have written yourself, whenever I could write I always told you where I was and I stayed in the same city for _weeks _before moving on"

_You should have written if you wanted to hear from me so badly! _

"I don't go pinning after men Zuko, if that's what you're saying"

"That isn't what I'm saying!" snapped Zuko. "You can't expect me to do _everything _Mai, in case you haven't noticed I have a country to run"

An awkward pause followed these words, Mai did not move, it was as if she had been frozen.

"I did write letters to you, Zuko, don't act as if I didn't do anything"

"You didn't do enough" snapped Zuko, who was losing control of his temper as each second passed by. "I would write two pages whereas you wrote only one paragraph"

"And one and half of those pages consisted of your feelings"

There was no trace of sarcasm in Mai's voice, but her words hinted her feelings of mockery and Zuko did not like it one bit.

"I never wrote about my feelings, Mai" he bit back, venomously. "I wouldn't want you to pluck out your eyes with your daggers"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zuko immediately regretted saying them. Mai flinched for the briefest second, and Zuko knew that he had struck a low blow. The young woman turned away, and Zuko wondered if there was a layer of compassion beneath that icy demeanour.

"I'm sorry"

"Why are you here, Zuko?" said Mai, she gave no indication that she had heard him.

"I don't know" whispered Zuko, honestly. "I..."

_I thought that I could salvage something here but... _

"Zuko, I have to tell you something"

The prince looked up, Mai was still looking away but there was a slight edge to her voice that told him that something was not right. "

A few days before you came" she said. "Your uncle asked me to come see him"

Zuko raised an eyebrow.

_Uncle asked Mai to come see him? He never told me. _

"Why?"

"It was about you"

The abrupt manner of her statement surprised him.

"About me? What did he have to say about me?"

"I'm getting to that" snapped Mai, the first indication as to what she was feeling and it surprised him even more. "He said that things would be difficult for you in the coming years"

Zuko thought about the recent events, _He's got that right. _

"And that I should think about whether I'm willing to stick with you when times get rough"

Zuko's mouth had suddenly gone dry,

"Umm.."

He didn't know what he should have said, so he just kept his mouth shut.

"I've been thinking about what he said" continued Mai. "And I've realized something"

Mai paused, as she took a deep breath. Zuko frowned, wondering where the heck she was going with this.

"Do you remember the time we went to Ember Island with Azula? The time we crashed _that guy's _party?"

Zuko nodded, colouring in embarrassment, he had been very angry with himself back then, but he did not understand _why _he had been angry. Only now did he realize that the reason behind his anger was the wrong choice he had made in the crystal caves of Ba Sing Se.

"When the four of us sat around the fire talking, you told me that you liked it when I expressed myself, you remember?"

"Yeah..."

It had been one of the few times he had seen Mai express any kind of emotion.

"At the time, I didn't think much about it, but now, whenever I think about that night. I feel... embarrassed"

Zuko was stunned, this _was _not what he had been expecting.

"What do you mean, embarrassed?" he said, trying to be as rational as possible.

"I pride myself on my self control, Zuko" said Mai. "My ability to keep my feelings under control regardless of what the situation, my ability to be rational no matter how personal the conflict is, it's one of my greatest strengths, it's my most lethal asset"

Zuko shook his head.

"You're not as _rational, _as you think you are" he said. "What about the time at the Boiling Rock? Me and Sokka would have been in serious trouble had you not intervened"

Mai shook her head.

"It wasn't as big a sacrifice as you though it was. I wanted to help you escape, that is true, but while my uncle was in charge, life in the prison cell wasn't that hard"

Zuko opened his mouth and then closed it, it was awhile before he was able to speak again.

"Where are you going with this?" he asked.

Mai chose not to answer the question.

"Do you remember that time at the party, when you threw a huge tantrum over some guy talking to me?"

"That guy was _flirting _with you" snapped Zuko, he was _never _going to feel bad about flicking the guy onto the wall.

"And you let him"

"For your information" said Mai, in a cold voice. "I told him to leave me alone but he just won't go away. Of course, I _would _have told you that had you not caused such a big scene"

Zuko opened his mouth to retort but then closed it, he didn't want to start an argument over something that happened a long time ago.

"The reason I brought that up" continued Mai. "Was to remind you of what you said to me, you said that I was a big blah"

"Mai" sighed Zuko. "I was angry, I didn't know-"

"No" interrupted Mai. "You were being honest, Zuko, you do want someone who expresses feelings and likes to do stupid things like exchange love letters or someone who can withstand all that emotion that comes from you"

Zuko sighed and resisted the urge to throttle this woman, she just never would be able to understand. "

You want someone who wears her heart on her sleeve" said Mai. "Someone who doesn't throw up at the idea of talking about feelings and who can withstand your mood swings"

Zuko growled. "I don't have mood swings"

"What I'm _trying _to say, Zuko" said Mai. "Is that you and I are just not compatible as a couple"

For a moment, it was as if the room was frozen in time, nobody moved a muscle as the words hung in the air. Zuko had been stunned speechless, he never thought that Mai would say such words, truth be told he had not considered the possibility of ending things with Mai, certainly bickering and compromising but not breaking up. _Again. _

"I..."

"It's okay, Zuko" said Mai. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know that me ending this thing had nothing to do with the political situation of the country"

Zuko resisted the urge to snort in contempt, it may not have been _the _reasonbut it was certainly a motivating factor.

"I... don't get a say in this, do I?"

Mai did not say anything, Zuko understood what she was trying to say. Zuko smirked to himself.

"I guess this is for the best" he said, to no one in particular. "You and I... never really understood each other, did we? Even when I tried to make you understand...we just... never got each other. I never could understand why that happened but I guess... you are who you are and I am who I am. We can't be together so long as we insist on being ourselves"

"This is for the best" said Mai, her voice not betraying a hint of her emotions and Zuko had to admire her self-control. "Neither of us are in an obligation we didn't want to be"

Zuko nodded, he didn't want to stay there any more than was necessary. Zuko turned around and headed towards the door, he was about to leave when he suddenly stopped and turned to look at Mai, a part of him needed to have the final say.

"Just so you know" he said. "I tried my best, but like I said before, I can't do all the work, Mai. Relationships are a two way road, keep that in mind when you meet someone else" With those words, Zuko walked out, never to return again.

* * *

Zuko didn't know how to explain how he felt, this was the second time he had been dumped. The first time being when Katara had decided to end things between him. Now Mai had decided to follow suit, although, he had to admit he wasn't upset as he was the first time around. Looking at his past life, one would think that Zuko was a sucker for emotional pain. All the people who were supposed to be close to him had hurt him in the worst possible way. Still, being dumped by Mai was different from being dumped by Katara. With Katara, he had been left hollow, empty and confused, it was as if a firebender was locked in a place that blocked out any and all sunlight. When Katara had said the words that ended his relationship, he felt devastated and hurt, when Mai had expressed the same sentiments, Zuko had felt.... nothing. It was probably the best way to express his sentiments, he wasn't overjoyed at the thought not being in a relationship but neither was he drowning in sorrow. Perhaps the thought had not sunk in, after all, Zuko had to feel something. This was afterall the girl who braved the most notorious prison in the country so that he could escape.

_But then again _said a small voice, in the back of his head. _It wasn't a big sacrifice for her, she said so herself_

Zuko sighed and attempted to run his hand through his hair before remembering that his hair was tied into a topknot. "What am I suppose to feel?" he murmured to himself, but the silky curtains of the palanquin gave him no answer. Zuko was beginning to remember what exactly he didn't like about palace life.

For the second time that day, Zuko found himself in the steam baths. The prince doused his head in the hot water and sighed in content. After months of being buried in work, Zuko found it strange not to do anything but just relax in the bath tub. However, he couldn't deny that the prospect of relaxing for just one day was also exciting. As Zuko sat in the bath tub a glass of spice wine in his hand, he wondered how he should spend the rest of the day, he would dedicate much of it to his training. The wound that Azula had given him during the comet meant that he had to forgo firebending or any sort of exercise for at least a year, Zuko did not complain as it meant he could spend that time with Katara. It had been only ten months ago, that he had began to resume his training. While he had regained much of his strength and stamina through hard work with his regiment, Zuko felt that he was not at his best and he could be stronger than he was before, heck maybe he could even surpass Azula if worked hard enough. B  
ut Zuko wondered what he could have done with the other half of the day, he considered going down to the city square to check on the venue for the Music Night Festival but he quickly dismissed it. Zuko realized that apart from training, he had nothing else to occupy him the whole day.

_Damn, I'm going to die of boredom _he thought to himself. _What would Sokka do? _

Immediately, the image of the Water Tribe boy pigging away in the kitchens and probably flirting with the servants, came to his mind. Zuko shook his head, he wasn't going to go pigging in the kitchen but maybe... The prince glanced at the servant girls lined up with an assortment massage oils and shampoos. All of them, Zuko noticed, were young and extremely pretty, he suddenly felt a surge in his private area and he vigorously shook his head to clear his mind of any dirty thoughts.

_But then _he thought to himself. _I am a single guy, and I have nothing to do, what's the harm? _

Zuko turned towards the servant girls and smiled at them, many of them blushed, some of them giggled. Zuko turned away, feeling a faint blush colouring cheeks, he felt his self confidence surge.

_They are only interested me because I'm the prince _he reminded himself. _But then again, Mai and Katara broke up with me. Wouldn't that mean that they have no interest in me as a person? _

Zuko shrugged. _Aw, hell, it's not like I'm going to have free time like this again. Why not make the most of it? _

With a smirk that spoke evil intentions, Zuko turned to face the servant girls and gestured to the cutest of the young girls. The young girl nearly tripped over her feet in her haste to make it to the prince.

"W-would you like a massage, your Majesty?"

Zuko couldn't help but smirk at the irony at his choice.

"What I would like" said Zuko in a husky tone. "Is for you to put aside those bottles and sit here"

Patting a slab of marble with his hand.

"And relax with me"

The servant girl was flustered and Zuko knew why. This went way beyond protocol for a servant.

"What's your name?" "J-Jin"

"Do you not want to obey the wishes of the crown prince, Jin?"

"N-No my lord, I mean Y-yes, my lord"

The servant girl blushed and she looked visibly flustered, Zuko resisted the urge to laugh.

"How you blush, at the mere thought of sitting near me" he smirked.

He let out a deep sigh, as if disappointed.

"I suppose it would have been too much to ask you to join me in the bath"

This time the servant girl let out a little squeak and she dropped the bottles. She hastily bent to pick them up.

"Oh, well, you're dismissed"

The servant girl looked up surprised.

"My Lord?"

"I said you're dismissed, Jin, you clearly can't handle the _heat_"

The implication behind those words made the servant girl blush even more as she collected the bottles she had dropped. Zuko bit his lip, fighting the urge to laugh.

_This is too much fun _he thought to himself. _I should do this more often._

With those thoughts in mind, Zuko leant back and sighed in content.

_This just might be a fun day. _

* * *

Zuko may have been having a fun day, but the same could not be said for his friends. The four out of five of the attendants relaxed on Appa's saddle, while Aang rested on the bison's head. There was enough space for the five of them on a ten tonne bison, however, with the underlying tension between them, it was as if they had been cramped into the tiniest space possible. Katara's mind was preoccupied on what was to come, according to Sokka, they were perhaps a three days from the Fire Nation Island where Shu Jing was located. It was lucky, he had stated, that they were suppose to go to Shu Jing as opposed to the mainland, otherwise they would have to travel for two more days. Katara tried to think about what had happened two nights ago with Aang, how she had turned away when he tried to kiss her. But she couldn't bring her mind to focus on that, because truth to be told there was nothing to focus on, the way she acted that night was the way she would have always acted had she not been surprised by Aang on previous occasions.

Katara turned towards the bald monk sitting on Appa's head, their relationship was falling apart, that much was obvious, it was like a fortress with no proper foundation, crumbling as time passed by. The more Katara thought about it, the more she realized that there was no point in holding out any longer, truth be told, there was _nothing _to hold on to. Katara realized that now, Aang was her best friend, and tried as she might, she wasn't able to see past that. With Aang, Katara was a kind, supportive girl whose motherly instincts would always prevent him from slipping, with Zuko it was a _completely _different scenario, with Zuko, she was more than just a girl with an endless supply of hope and a motherly complex. When she was around Zuko, Katara felt like a woman, a woman who felt passion and gave it to the man she loved, someone who could be a good girl but also a naughty, with Zuko, she wasn't some good girl to be placed on a pedestal and emulated but was a woman capable of both bad and good and that it was the combination of flaws and attributes that her made her so desirable. Zuko knew sides of her that Aang never did and Katara was not quite sure if he could handle the side of her that wasn't sweet and kind. The waterbender leaned back on the saddle, wishing she could sink into it.

_There's no point _she thought to herself, _I'm going to have to end our relationship. _

But when?

Katara felt that it would be a bad idea, to tell him now, just when they were on the verge of facing some sort of danger in the Fire Nation. _But then again _she thought to herself.

_Shouldn't that be the reason to say something now? Before it's too late. _

Katara took a deep breath, remembered Toph's words about having to resolve it quickly before they arrived at Shu Jing because Zuko and Aang would start fighting over her, but then what made Toph so sure that Zuko would even fight? He didn't say _anything _when she ended things in Ba Sing Se, why should he say anything now much less fight over her? Katara shook her head, no, it was stupid to make a decision based on what Zuko _might_ do, she needed to do this for herself.

"What are you thinking about?"

The question came from Toph, Katara frowned at her inquisitive nature.

"Nothing"

"I can tell you're lying" said Toph in a sing-song voice.

Katara almost snapped at her but then suddenly realized that the group was too silent for her liking, and that this was Toph's way of trying to start something. _Sokka _in particular was too quiet.

"I was just thinking how Zuko and General Iroh are doing that's all" she said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Toph blew her bangs out of her forehead.

"Who knows, if it's Sparky, he's probably sucking out all the joy with the blackhole of doom and playing the _I've lost my honour _tune"

Katara frowned at her but Sokka chuckled in appreciation. Katara glared at him.

"What?" said Sokka, sensing the look. "It's probably true, it would explain why there are some people trying to overthrow him, they probably want their happiness back-"

"Sokka, you do realize how much you sound like an idiot, don't you?"

"Yeah, I get it all the time, from _you _nonetheless"

"Well, that's because you deserve it"

As the two siblings began to bicker, Toph sighed, as if the sound of the bickering siblings was like music to her ears, she and leaned back on Appa's saddle.

"That's right, Toph" she murmured. "You are the Master"

* * *

Zuko ducked and rolled sideways before launching a blast of fire of his own. His opponent kicked the attack side, but Zuko followed it up with blast after blast. Quick jabs aimed at the arms and legs, meant to crap his opponent. A small sound was all the warning he got before he was forced to somersault into the air. Careening smoothly over the whips of fire that were aimed at his feet. Zuko launched a roundhouse kick that sent a powerful wave of fire at his opponent. Zuko dropped back to the ground and surveyed his surroundings, panting hard. His two trainers paused from their relentless attack to catch their own breath.

"Do you wish to take a break, your Majesty?"

Zuko got the impression that the trainers needed the break more than he needed. The prince decided to comply, he didn't need his trainers collapsing in the middle of a session. The prince nodded.

"A small one" he said.

Both the trainers heaved a sigh of relief before turning towards the array of servants who were waiting for them off the field with glasses and jugs of ice cold water. Zuko stood where he was, staring up at the sky, the sun had been at it's highest peak when he had started training, now it was slowly sinking into the horizon, casting elongated shadows across the training ground. Zuko sighed in disappointment as he pushed his sweat mattered hair off his face. There was no point in continuing training if the source of firebending was going to disappear in half an hour or so. Zuko sighed made his way towards the line of servants who were waiting for him with towels and water, suddenly, he stopped and turned around. His sharp amber eyes scanned the surrounding area, the training ground was a large square area filled with grass with rocks and trees to add variation to the otherwise flat terrain. The training grounds was surrounded by large buildings and it was these buildings did Zuko survey with a careful eye. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and he was certain that he felt eyes on him. Zuko shrugged and turned around, he had barely walked a few paces when he heard it, the slight 'tunk' of an arrow being released and the 'whoosh' as it rushed through the air. It was all the warning he had before he turned around and unleashed a stream of fire. The arrow dissipated in a swirl of flame inches from his fingers, leaving nothing but ash. Zuko ignored those who called to him and scanned the buildings. Someone was running across the corridors, of the surrounding buildings.

"Catch him!" roared Zuko, pointing to the running shadow.

"My prince!"

Zuko turned around and saw a stream of fire flying at his face. This time, Zuko ducked and ran straight for the building. Streams of fire followed in his wake, but the prince was too quick. With an aggressive somersault through the air, Zuko blasted fire through the soles of his feet and flew through the air at the balustrade where his assassin was. Blasts of fire flew at his face but Zuko battered them aside. Within seconds, Zuko was level with the second floor balustrade and with the man who was trying to kill him. He saw an angry moustached face, he was about to unleasha powerful kick, to finish him off. Zuko noticed something move at the corner of his eye. It was the man who had fired the arrow. He held up his bow and fired another shot. The shot was fired from close range and Zuko had to act quickly to dodge it. Unfortunately, the distraction was all the firebender needed. He leapt on the balustrade and swung his legs around. Zuko felt a blinding pain that resonated through every nerve ending in his body. Zuko cried out in pain before glaring at the man. The assassin had a big smirk on his face before he leant back. Zuko saw a thick black boot flying at his face. A world of darkness, a sickening pain and the sensation of falling, were all the sensations Zuko felt before fell unconscious.

* * *

_A/N: Please leave a review guys, thanks! _


	21. Reunion of the Two Lovers

_A/N: Okay guys, sorry for the long wait, I've just started uni and I'm trying to adjust to life being semi-independent (no more mum's cooking... sniff) But here's a long awaited (I hope) update. I want to thank all the people who took the time to review the previous chapter. I'm sorry I didn't PM or mention you guys in name when thanking you, please don't let that stop you from reviewing this chapter. Pleaaaaase tell me what you think. _

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**_Chapter 20 – Reunion of the Two Lovers_**

Many outsiders and travellers alike would consider the citizens of Shu Jing to be the most spoilt group of people in the Fire Nation. The village was surrounded by green hills that stretched out onto the horizon, and magnificent waterfalls that seemed so peaceful and tranquil when looked at from a distance but thunderous and mighty when looked at up front, with it's harmony with nature and no factories to ruin it's environment, it was as if the town of Shu Jing was in a different world from the rest of the Fire Nation. In addition to living in visually pleasing surroundings, the people of Shu Jing did not have to worry about the safety of their young and old alike, for nobody dared to cause trouble least the incur the wrath of the greatest swordsmen in the country. The imposing castle that stood atop the hill watching over the peaceful town, like a mother watching over her sleeping infant . The castle was tall, grand and strong enough to withstand a siege from a hundred armies, just like Piandao had defeated a hundred men to cleanse the town of the military presence. With a strong protector taking up residence in the tall castle and a spectacular environment to greet them night and day it was not too wild an assumption to make when one said that the people of Shu Jing were spoilt. Able to keep their families fed, their homes safe and their lives peaceful, there was no need for anyone to be awake during the late hours of the night. Which was why, nobody would see a ten tonne bison flying through the night sky and land ever so quietly just outside the village, near Piandao's castle.

Sokka was the first dismount from Appa, his eyes fixed on the towering castle and the path before it, it had been over a year ago since he had met Piandao, their last encounter had been at the Royal Palace when they were celebrating the end of the war. Piandao had given him an odd lesson but one that was vital in time to come.

"_You are fortunate, Sokka" said Piandao, breaking the silence between them. _

_"I am?" replied the Water Tribe student, puzzled. _

_"You are fortunate in a very strange way" said Piando, clarifying and mystifying his statement at the same time. _

_The ambiguous words puzzled his young student even more. _

_"What do you mean?" _

_"You are surrounded by friends from different parts of the world" continued Piando. "Friends who advocate different styles of bending" _

_"Uh, Master, where exactly are you going with this?" _

_"Earthbending- It centres around standing your ground and tackling your enemy head on, whereas airebending is all about light footsteps. Waterbending, means turning your opponent's energy against them whereas firebending is all about relentless attacking" _

_"Urgh, Master, I've travelled the world with four weirdos for did this stuff everyday I don't need one of the few normal people in my life chatting about bending" _

_Piandao merely chuckled, as he rose to his full height, making Sokka feel like a dwarf. _

_"Think about what I said, and see how it applies to your swordsmanship" _

It was only after he left the Fire Nation did Sokka finally understand the meaning behind Piandao's words. If the core concepts of the bending arts could be applied to the use of the sword then Sokka could make himself a flexible, versatile and dangerous warrior, which would suit him perfectly, because Sokka did not want to limit himself to one skill, he had learnt that flexibility was a useful ally.

"Sokka?"

The warrior jumped out of his thoughts and turned around. Katara was looking at him with a small smile on her face.

"Little nostalgic, eh?"

"I don't do nostalgia, Katara" said Sokka, turning away and walking up the path. "Let's go meet, Master Piandao"

With Sokka in front and Appa bringing up the rear, the group made their way up the steep winding path towards the castle. It was hard to believe that it had been just over two years ago that he walked up this path, an awkward, uncertain and clueless Water Tribe boy, now with a sword forged in the flames of the Fire Nation and techniques embedded into his body by the greatest Fire Nation master, Sokka found it ironic that he had lest behind everything that was Water Tribe, adopting the techniques of the Fire Nation for the sole purpose of defeating them.

_Fight fire with fire _

Sokka knocked on the gates, unable to see the White Lotus symbol but knowing it was there. With a small creak the gate opened and the familiar face of the Piandao's butler loomed over them, the lantern he held cast a gloomy reflection over his features.

"Hi!" said Sokka, in a bright voice, that did not suit the night. "Remember me, old buddy? I'm Piandao's-"

"The Master has been expecting you"

Nothing in his voice indicated that he had heard Sokka or even recognized him for that matter.

"As well as his guest"

At those words, Sokka glanced dubiously at the people behind them who stared back at him with similar looks of confusion.

"Who do you think is expecting us?" whispered Katara.

"If we move forward, we can actually find out" said Toph, not bothering to keep her voice down.

Sokka gave her an annoyed glare before entering the castle.

The group made their way through the courtyard, Yue was full tonight and she shed her light upon the castle, illuminating the courtyard in a haze of sliver. Sokka could clearly recall the time he had fought Piandao, running through the courtyard, screaming like a wild animal. Sokka was not the only one thinking about the incident because he could hear Aang calling him from behind.

"Hey, Sokka! Remember the time you fought Master Piandao here?"

"Yeah" he said, with a small smile. And I nearly won, too"

"So _this_ is where Piandao lives" said Suki, in wonder, looking up at the castle, her expression and tone grew more serious as something else occurred to her. "How does one guy live up there all by himself? Doesn't he get lonely?"

Sokka opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by Katara.

"_Puhlease, _Sokka, you did not _nearly _win you weren't even close, Piandao had you pinned in five seconds _flat_"

Katara snapped her fingers to emphasise her point. Sokka turned back to glare at her.

"Yeah? What about the time you tried to fight GranPakku? Who had _you _pinned in _five seconds flat_?"

"The master is not at home"

The butler's dreary tone, cut off any argument that might have been brewing. Sokkka looked up feeling a sharp of disappointment.

"Why?" he asked crestfallen he had been looking forward to seeing him after nearly a year.

"He had to leave on a matter of great importance" said the butler. "But you said he was expecting us!"

"True" conceded the butler. "But that doesn't necessarily mean he's here in the castle"

Before Sokka could comment on how stupid that sounded, the butler pushed open the doors of the castle and the gang stepped inside. Perhaps it was the late hour or the absence of it's resident, but the castle seemed to be very different from what it once was. The corridors were still wide and grand, like the canals in the Northern Water Tribe, the large ceiling to floor windows, allowed the moonlight to flood the corridors, lighting up all the paintings done by Piandao or ones that he had found on his extensive travels. There was something beautiful and haunting about the corridors, something that demanded the respect of silence and everyone, even Sokka was quite, as they made their way through the corridors. However, some people in the group couldn't quite handle the silence for long.

"_Did someone die in here?_" whispered. Toph.

"_I don't know_" replied Aang. "_But it's best to be quite, I can feel a certain energy in this place_"

_"Not exactly a happy place during the night, huh?" _

"_Quite!"_

The final call had been from Katara. If the butler had heard the young teenagers, he chose to ignore them. After what seemed like years, they reached the end of the corridor, where a pair of large double doors greeted them. The group made there way towards the doors, the butler pushed them open revealing a splendid, well furnished room, unlike the corridors, the crimson curtains covered the windows, blocking out all moonlight from the room, strategically placed candles lit up the room in a haze of orange and yellow.

"Please wait in here while I inform the resident that you have arrived" said the butler, speaking for the third time since he had met them.

The gang was ushered into a large room, it did not occur to them to inquire about this 'resident' There were no chairs or couches but there were comfortable bean bags neatly arranged around a coffee table with tea and an assortment of snacks.

"Food!" cried Sokka.

But he was not the only one, who noticed it. He glared at Aang, as if to say.

_How dare you look at my food! _

Aang glared back as if to say.

_Don't be so greedy, I'm starving! _

Without warning, both teenagers launched themselves at the table. Aang getting there with a small airbending boost.

"Hey!" cried Sokka, as Aang triumphantly grabbed the plate of rice cakes and began shovelling them into his mouth.

"Sokka, be quiet" snapped Suki.

"But I'm hungry" whined Sokka, oblivious to the grave mood in the castle. "And Aang's not sharing"

"Be quiet, or I'll have you paralysed on the floor" said Suki, flexing her knuckles in a threatening manner.

Having experienced the deadly attack on more than one occasion, Sokka was not willing to push his luck and merely settled for a scowl. Katara's mind however was somewhere else.

"Where could Master Piandao be?" she whispered. "What happened to Iroh and Zuko?"

Nobody missed the worry in her voice.

"Look sis, don't worry about Zuko and Iroh, those two are tough, remember the comet? The guy took a bolt of lightening to the chest! And survived! And as for the master, he could be out somewhere in the village trying to paint a midnight scene or something"

Katara nodded, though she still wasn't sure.

"Yeah, but-"

"Look, Katara" Suki stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Whatever trouble they may be in, we're here now, we can help them and we can help even the odds"

Katara smiled at her.

"Thanks, Suki"

None of them noticed a figure enter the room.

"I am glad to hear you say that, Master Suki"

Everyone (with the exception of Toph) jumped at the voice and looked around. An old man stood there, his balding head gleaming in the candle light, dark circles surrounded his tired amber eyes, his wrinkled face stretched across his bones to express a weary smile. Katara was the first to recognise the man.

"General Iroh!" she cried, bowing towards the man beofre enveloping him in a hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"It is good to see you too, my child" said Iroh, returning hug. "And might I comment on how you've blossomed in the year we've been apart"

Katara blushed at the compliment. There wasn't a single person in the room who couldn't help but smile upon seeing Iroh again. His presence radiated kindness and genuine happiness upon seeing his nephew's friends. Iroh smile spread to each and every one of them, and all of them, including Sokka felt like they were coming home from a long journey and he couldn't help but smile as he watched Iroh hug his sister.

"And please my dear" continued Iroh. "There is no need to call me General or even Fire Lord,it is just Iroh"

The Dragon of the West turned to face the others.

"Ah, my dear friend, the most fearsome earthebender in the world, how are you doing, my dear Bei Fong girl?"

Toph couldn't hide her grin as she came forward and punched the old man in the arm.

"There's no need to call me 'Bei Fong girl' old man, just Toph"

Katara frowned. "Toph it's rude to call Iroh an _old man" _

"Never mind, my dear" said Iroh, with a small laugh, rubbing his arm as he did so. "I'm fully aware that this is Toph's way of showing affection"

Toph stuck out her tongue at Katara.

"And how is the Avatar" he said, smiling at Aang. "How you've grown, you're just like Zuko when he was your age , he too had a growth spurt"

Aang grinned at the compliment.

"It's good to see you too, Iroh" he said, sounding cheerful for the first time in what seemed like a long time, as bowed down in respect.

Iroh approached Suki and Sokka, the Water Tribe warrior raised his chin in a 'what's up' salute.

"Dear Suki, how you've grown, Avatar Kyoshi must be so proud to have a beautiful woman such as yourself to carry on her name and ways"

Suki rolled her eyes and blushed, causing Sokka to scowl.

_He might as well adopt all of us! _He thought, angrily.

"You certainly know how to charm a girl, General Iroh" said Suki, with a small laugh.

"_Women_" corrected Iroh. "I know how to charm women, And please it's just, Iroh"

The general turned to Sokka, the warrior felt his muscles tense under his gaze.

_Oh no! No way am I putting up with his poetry_.

"Master Sokka, how-"

"Yeah, yeah, it's good to see you too, Iroh" he said, ignoring the glare that all three women were giving him."But seriously, enough of the flattery let's get down to some real business. Where's Zuko? We need to discuss who's been whipping his butt these past few days"

"Sokka, stop being such an _imbecile_" snapped Katara. "But where is Zuko?"

At the mention of his nephew, all traces of happiness seemed to have faded from Iroh's face and Sokka knew that it wasn't good news.

"Prince Zuko will not be able to join us tonight" he said, his voice oily and grave, he seemed to have aged several years in a matter of seconds. "He has been grievously injured in an attempt on his life"

A tense pause followed as these words were digested.

"WHAT!"

"What happened, will he be all right? Where is he?" cried Katara, whose hands had flown to her face at the news, everyone else had similar looks of horror on their faces.

_Assassination attempts on the royal family_Thought Sokka. _Is it really this bad__?_

Iroh offered Katara sympathetic smile, as if understanding her feelings.

"Two days ago, there was an attempt on Zuko's life, I will not go into detail for now, but archers tried to shoot down my nephew when he was in the middle of a training session. In his attempt, to capture the assassins, he fell from the rooftop of a building..."

Iroh left it at that. There was an awkward tension in the air, as each person took the time to process the information.

"Where is he?" asked Katara, there was a hint of determination in her voice. "I can help heal him"

Iroh smiled at her in silent thanks before turning to someone standing at the door.

"If you could please lead the Lady Katara to Prince Zuko's room, please?"

The butler who until now had stood aside, impassive and distant bowed in obedience.

"Of course, Fire Lord Iroh"

He turned to Katara. "Follow me, miss"

Katara nodded and left the room, as soon as she was gone. An awkward tension permeated the air, with Katara's departure, nobody could seem to find the right words, Sokka, in particular, felt that now was a good time to keep his mouth shut because he did not know what he would say.

"I can't believe people tried to kill Zuko" whispered Aang.

"It shouldn't come as a shock" muttered Sokka unable to help himself. "Remember the time his sis tried to do him in?"

Suki scowled at him before turning to the Fire Lord.

"I can't believe that it has come to this" she said.

Iroh nodded. "I admit, I did not think that insurgents were capable of such acts... nor that they harboured such ideas"

"But what's their motive?" asked Toph, speaking for the first time since the news was announced.

"What do you mean?" said Aang glancing at the earthbender.

"I _mean_, there has to be a reason why they're doing this, people don't just go _hey we've got nothing better to do on the weekend, let's set up a group and try to kill the crown prince of our country_"

Everyone else in the room winced at her reprimand, but it was to be expected. Toph was never one to beat around the bush.

"We have not uncovered a specific motive as of yet" said Iroh. "But we are fairly certain that it has nothing to do with the Hundred Year War"

"Really? How can you be sure?" said Sokka. In his eyes, it was the most probable reason.

Iroh turned to the young warrior as he responded.

"Because there is said to be a history behind this rebel group and the royal family" said Iroh. "I came here, to Shu Jing, to verify such a statement"

"So what's the plan of attack?" said Toph, cracking her knuckles. "I'm well versed in the art of kicking firebending butt, it'll be a piece of cake"

"Wait a minute, Toph" said Aang. "You can't just assume that General Iroh will just attack these rebel group"

"Why not?" snapped Toph.

Sokka could feel an argument brewing and he was not in the mood to witness one. Fortunately, Iroh seemed to have sensed the same thing.

"We can discuss plans another time" he said soothingly. "You must be hungry and tired"

* * *

"The prince is in there, Lady Katara"

Katara stared at the door ahead of her as if the world around her didn't exist.

_The prince is in there _

Zuko was inside the room, nothing but the door stood between the two of them, after months of waiting, wondering, anticipating she was a hair's breath from seeing him again. Katara tried to imagine what he would be like by now, one year was a long time, a _very _long time. Would he have grown taller? Would he have had grown his hair longer? Would he even recognize her? Katara shook her head and took a deep breath, she raised her hand and placed it on the smooth surface of the door but did not push it. Katara took a deep breath, her throat had gone dry, her heart was hammering away at her chest, her body was responding to the excitement she desperately tried to clamp down on.

_Control yourself, Katara _she ordered. _This is a healing session, not a reunion. _

The waterbender felt a warm hand on her shoulder and she jumped in surprise. The butler was looking down at Katara with a small smile, the look in his eyes told her that he _knew _what was going through her mind.

"If you would prefer to come another time" he said. "It-"

Katara immediately shook her head.

"Zuko needs help... I mean, _Prince _Zuko needs help"

Katara found it odd that she would not hesitate to tackle crazy Fire Princesses but she was hyperventilating at the thought of meeting a certain prince. With a deep breath, Katara pushed doors open and stepped inside the room.

The first thing Katara noticed was that it was dark and completely devoid of light, save for a little pinprick coming from a bedside table. Katara cast a helpless glance around the room, she could not work like this, even with a hundred torches lighting the room, she knew that she wouldn't be able to help Zuko.

_Yue is full tonight _she thought to herself. _Why waste it?_

Katara turned to face the butler who was standing to aside.

"Could you open the curtains, please?"

The butler nodded and made his way around the room and pulled back the curtains. A wave of sliver light flooded the room, emblazoning the place in a pure, bright aura of light. The light illuminated a large bed that was in the centre of the room as well as it's occupant.  
Katara gasped as she saw the man who occupied the bed.

It was Zuko.

Zuko was asleep, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly open, his pale skin glowed in the moon light, his raven dark hair fell around his handsome face, covering the scar on his left cheek Katara felt something swell up in her at the sight of Zuko, something so strong and intense she almost choked. Katara couldn't explain why she felt that way perhaps it was the fact that he looked so sick and vulnerable on that bed, perhaps it was the fact that she was seeing him with her own eyes after months of seeing him in her mind's eye. It was there standing at the foot of his bed did she realize something, it was there, staring at his pale face did she realize something so profound. Katara now understood what her heart had been trying to tell her along, she had always had feelings for Zuko, the months apart had done nothing to change that, their time apart did not change the fact that what she felt for the prince, the distance both geographical and emotional did nothing to temper the fire within her that burnt for him. Katara now realized that she had not only deceived Aang but she had deceived herself as well. Katara suddenly felt angry at the thought, it was like she had been betrayed, she tried to tell herself that she could move on, that she _had _to move on, and for a moment, she was convinced that she did. Now Katara realized that she had never moved on, and part of her doubted if she ever would, she had always had strong feelings for Zuko.

The waterbender took a deep breath, trying to temper the emotions that were bubbling like boiling water. Katara took a deep breath before making her way towards the bed and sitting down next to Zuko, ignoring the look the butler gave her. Katara reached over and with soft, gentle fingers pulled back the sheets that covered Zuko's body.

_He seems to have skinner _thought Katara.

The waterbender pulled his t-shirt backward, exposing his heavily bandaged ribcage, she summoned her water from her pouch, the glob of water encased to her hands and glowed brightly. Katara turned to the butler who had not moved from his position by the window.

"This will take a while" she said. The butler nodded, he understood the young woman's request privacy.

The gentle sound of the door closing told Katara that she was now alone with Zuko. Katara took a deep breath placed her hands on the prince's ribcage. Katara could feel the damaged the bones around the ribcage and hoped that there wasn't any internal damage. The waterbender poured all her energy into the healing process, willing Zuko to get better. Katara spent the next few minutes in silence, concentrating on nothing but the glowing water in her hands. Zuko's breathing was slow and steady, which was a good thing as that meant he had no internal injuries. Katara was so engrossed in her thoughts that she barely noticed the prince utter a small groan. It was only the rustle of the bedsheets that alerted her. Katara's eyes flew to his face and found a pair of shocked amber eyes blinking up at her.

"Katara?"

* * *

Zuko didn't wake up at once as he usually did, rather he was coaxed into waking up by a soothing sensation that reverberated through his body in gentle soothing waves. It was a nice feeling and a rather pleasant one and he wanted to revel in it for as long as possible. Gentle breathing told him that he was not alone but he was too lax to care. Zuko took a deep breath and tried to recall the last time he had felt this good, the most likely cause was a massage but he doubted the possibility. For one thing, a massage required fingers and at the moment, he was certain that no one was touching him. The sensation on his ribcage was too gentle to be done by fingers, it was almost like water. _Water. _

_Gentle._

_Soothing. _

Zuko's mind made the connections and it was then did he get the urge to know who was with him in the room. Zuko opened his eyes and glanced around the room, the first thing he noticed was that he was in a room that was not his own, the second thing he noticed was that the place was literally glowing with moonlight, the third was that there was someone sitting next to him holding something glowing to his ribcage.

_Gentle, soothing, healing._

His mind clicked with recognition.

"Katara?"

"Stay still" she ordered. "You've been injured in your fall"

The words took him by surprise.

_Is that the first thing she says to me? _

"There's no need to tell me" he groaned.

Zuko had been in a great deal of pain when he had last been conscious, and he was certain that his ribcage had been in pain until Katara arrived.

Zuko's mind was still having a hard time processing Katara's presence right in front of him. The prince had spent months thinking and dreaming about her and the words she had said that it was almost impossible to believe that she was now sitting in front of him. For her part, Katara didn't seem to have any problems being around him, she had a look of concentration on her face and she didn't seem to be bothered by their past. Zuko closed his eyes before opening them again, Katara may not be affected by his presence, but he certainly was, she only had to press her hand to his chest to know that.

"Katara..."

"Hmm..?"

"How long have you been here?"

From the look Katara gave her, Zuko could tell that she had been surprised by the question and he took a small pleasure in that.

"We came just now" she said. "Why do you ask?"

Katara's words, reminded Zuko that they had responded to his uncle's call

"You have to leave for the South Pole by tomorrow"

Katara took a minute to process his words she then rounded on him so quickly, Zuko was surprised that her neck didn't snap in two. Katara dropped the globe of water onto Zuko's lap, making the prince gasp in surprise. Katara's thoughts however were clearly elsewhere.

"What do you mean go back?" snapped Katara.

Zuko stuttered and he knew that depending on what he said he could very well end up with much more than a broken ribcage.

"Katara" said Zuko, in a hushed tone. "Don't get the wrong-"

"Don't beat around the bush, _tell _me what you meant?"

Zuko stared at her, as he contemplated his answer.

"There's a rebellion starting and it's serious" said Zuko, thinking that honesty was the best policy. "A civil war is coming and you will be in grave danger, I just don't want you to get hurt"

"I know" said Katara, with a flick of her wrist she gathered the water that was soaking into the sheets and began the healing process again. "I know there's a rebellion starting and I know that I'm placing myself in danger, but I'm not worried about that. I'm here, I'm going to help, well... _we're _going to help, and there's nothing you can say that's going to change that fact"

For a moment, Zuko was surprised at her knowledge but then he recalled that his uncle had written to them.

_She's here _he thought to himself. _She knows there's danger and she's still here. _

"But Katara, I don' want you to-"

"_Don't _say I'm going to get hurt" interrupted Katara. "You know, most people would be glad that they're friends were coming to their aid, only you seem to thing that it's a bad thing"

"Katara, please-"

"Don't _Katara _me, me, Sokka, Aang, Toph and Suki have come a long way to help you out, and we're not turning our backs just because you said so"

"But this has nothing to do with-"

Katara ignore his next few words and took a deep breath.

"Zuko" she hissed. "_Try _and get this through your _thick head_: We're are here to help you in whatever possible way and we're not going to turn away just because you say so, not when you clearly need help"

Zuko opened his mouth to say something but instead, he choose to lie down quietly, had he been at full strength, he would have put up a better fight but as such as, he was severely injured and did not want to anger anyone, least of all, the one who was healing him. Katara thought that he would not say anything and began to concentrate on healing him. The two of them languished in silence thinking about the other's thoughts.

_It's hard _Zuko realized. _And really complicated._

Zuko was glad to be around Katara again, to see her after so long, to hear her speak which was both thrilling and exciting in it's familiarity but Zuko could still remember the day they had broken up and the fact that it was _she _who broke it off between them.

After a while, Zuko broke the silence with a low raspy voice.

"That wasn't what I meant" he said, softly.

Katara looked up.

"What?"

Zuko looked away, for some reason, he was not ready to look into her sapphire eyes. "When I said I didn't want you here in the Fire Nation, it had nothing to do with honour or pride. I just don't want you or anyone else getting hurt in a matter that doesn't concern any of you"

Zuko's words were met with silence and Zuko was convinced that she was going to yell at him. But to his utter surprise, he felt her soft gentle hands on his own. Zuko looked up in surprise, Katara was looking at him with a smile on her face.

"Zuko that is what friendship is all about, we're there for each other whenever we're need one another. We wouldn't just abandon you because you're country is in trouble"

Zuko gulped and looked away, Katara cupped his chin and made him look at her.

"I don't know how the Fire Nation nobles do it" she said, in a tone that was light, warm and teasing. "But in the Water Tribes, friendship doesn't end when the convenience of being your friend dies down. Friendship exists _because_ we need other people, because as much as we try to be strong and independent, at the end of the day, we _all _need friends and people we can trust or we will lose all sense of who we are"

Zuko's amber eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, as he looked at Katara's cool blue eyes. It seemed as if an eternity passed by as they stared at each other. After awhile, Zuko looked away,

"Thanks" _You just reminded me all over again why I loved you. _

Katara smiled at him.

"Now lie back" she ordered. "Unless you want to be here with a injured ribcage for a long time"

Zuko smiled at her and laid down. They once again fell into silence though this time it was a pleasant silence, absent of the tension that had been their before. Zuko was reassured by Katara's words, she had always managed to have that effect on him. Katara had always had this gift of saying the right things to bring him down from his anger or anxiety. But there was something that bothered him.

_Why did she refer to friendship? Is she saying that she just wants to be friends? _

Then a horrifying thought occurred to him, one that terrified him.

_Does she have another boyfriend? _

"Katara?"

"Hmm...?"

"You've... grown"

Zuko cringed at his words, he could literally _hear _Azula's taunt at those words.

_Smooth work Zuzu, it's not hard to imagine why the ladies fawn over you._

Katara rolled her eyes, at Zuko's version of a compliment.

"Grown into what? A sea slug?"

"That wasn't what I meant" he said, softly.

"Did what then you mean?" though her question was absent of any real venom.

"You've grown prettier"

Katara couldn't help but smile, as she tried to hide the blush on her face.

"See? It's not so hard to pay a girl a compliment, now is it?" she said in a light teasing tone.

"Only if she's grown into a sea slug" said Zuko unable to help himself.

Katara smirked. "You could make jokes, I never knew that you it in you"

"I do have my moments" said Zuko. "You of all people should know that"

Katara understood the implication behind the words and blushed. Zuko seemed to have picked up on the hidden meaning he had unintentionally stated and clamped his lips shut.

_And we're back to square one_ thought Zuko.

* * *

After a while, Katara moved from his right ribcage to his left.

"Katara, can I ask you a question?"

Katara resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but nodded in assent.

"Why did you come?"

Katara's eyes flew up to meet Zuko's before going back to his injury.

"I've told you before" she said. "To-"

"That isn't what I meant" said Zuko.

Katara felt his warm hand curl around her wrist and she let out an involuntary gasp. Before Katara could comprehend what was going on, Zuko had moved to a sitting position before her. "Zuko, you-" "Katara, please answer the question" he said, his amber eyes seemed to glow.

"_Why _did _you _come here?"

"I-"

It had never occurred to Katara to ask herself that question.

"I came to help you, Zuko" she said, she gestured towards his ribcage."And you certainly need it"

"Is that it?"

There was something in Zuko's voice that changed, perhaps it was soft and husky, perhaps it was the pleading in his voice, but it made Katara's heart jump in her throat and beat at a rate so fast, it was starting to hurt her chest. There was something in his smouldering eyes that made her feel hot and bothered.

_Katara! Get a hold of yourself. _

Katara couldn't speak so she simply nodded. Zuko sighed, and for a moment it looked like whatever fired he had in him died, he collapsed back into bed and Katara took it as a queue to continue with her healing. The awkwardness had returned in full measure, something palpable hung in the air, as if both young people were hiding a secret and but not willing to expose it. Katara didn't like this silence, not one bit.

"So..."

It was Zuko who broke the silence.

"How was life at home? I was told that the Southern Tribe's rebuilding was good... really good"

It was an attempt to change the subject, Katara realized that Zuko had exposed something that he did not intend to and that he was now hoping to distract her.

"It is" said Katara, then feeling that she should say more, she added. "It's really nice to see what was once my small village growing into a large city, the tribes have united, people are coming in from the north and Sokka's engineering feats are wonderful. He's not the smartest guy on the planet, but he has his moments..."

Katara trailed off when she noticed Zuko staring at her with a small smile.

"Are you smiling, Prince Zuko?" she asked in a voice full of melodrama. "Are you _actually _smiling?"

Zuko blushed and turned away.

"It's just that... seeing you talking about your home, you have that look in your eyes"

Katara's heart began to speed up. _Could it be? _she thought to herself. _Could he still have feelings? _

"And..."

"And I'm glad to hear that the Southern Tribe is returning to it's former glory, especially after... past events"

Katara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. _This is so typical of him, _but she nodded in agreement at his words.

"It's what we fought for" she mused. "The chance to rebuild"

"So... umm..."

There was a distinct awkwardness in Zuko's voice, that told Katara that he was broaching a topic that he was not comfortable with.

"Do you meet a lot of people?"

Katara stared at him as he if had just grown a second head. Zuko shook his head, realizing how absurd he must have sounded.

"I mean... of course you must meet a lot of people... I mean..."

Katara had never seen this shy awkward side of Zuko, and it was quite cute, she thought.

"Zuko what are you trying to say?" said Katara, unable to hide the smile growing on her face, awkward Zuko was cute but it was also well... awkward.

"What I'm trying to say is..." Zuko took a deep breath, as if he was about to take a deep plunge.

"Do you meet a lot of guys?"

Katara recoiled at the hideous insinuation.

"What!"

Zuko immediately recoiled, his fists curling around the blankets.

"I..."

Katara was torn between slapping him and storming out of the room, to her credit, she did neither.

"What do you mean, do I meet a lot of guys. Do you think, I'm sort of floosy?"

"No! That's not what I meant!" said Zuko, hastily, there was a note of panic in his voice.

"I was only-"

Katara, got to her feet and placed her hands on her hips.

"For your information" she snapped. "I don't meet a lot of guys, Zuko, and even if I did , it's _none _of your business"

"I wasn't trying to call you a floosy, I was just-"

"Damn right you shouldn't be! Because you have no right, no business in my private life. Not any more!"

The final words ensured that pin drop silence ruled the room. Zuko's posture, slackened, and he looked away, dejection written all over his face. Katara's face went from anger to horror, as she quickly realized the implication of her words.

_Oh by the moon, he's thinking about the break-up! _thought Katara. "Zuko, I-"

"It's okay, Katara" said Zuko, his voice was hollow, almost dead.

"I understand"

"No, listen-"

"Thanks for the healing" he said, lying down and turning away from her. "I feel much better but I'm really tired"

Katara took it as a dismissal, she wanted to stay there and try to talk but she did not know what to say.

"Okay" she conceded. "I'll see you later"

Zuko did not respond. Katara made her way towards the door and opened it. The waterbender took one last glance at the prince lying till on the bed. With a sigh, of disappointment, she left the room, closing the door behind with a sound click.


	22. The War Years

_A/N: Hi everyone, it's me with another update! And boy it's a long one, so buckle up and prepare for the ride. First up, thanks alot to the people who reviewed the previous chapter: wolf, a5h13y101, sokkantylee, arrayePL, RohainTahquil, AnnaAza and Glasswater. It truly is a reward reading reviews like yours after working hard on a chapter and I hope you and everyone else  
enjoy reading it. This chapter, is a little different than the others, but important, so please read through. _

_As always, I encourage people to review expressing their opinions and what they thought about the story, you don't have to praise it persay, but give critiques as well. But no swearing. _

_On a sidenote, who has seen the Last Airbender? According to critics, it's a horrible piece of crap (putting it mildly) I'm still pondering if I should go see it but I may not do so. _

_

* * *

_

**_Chapter 21 – The War Years_**

_It had been a long trip for the Lieutenant, travelling from the outer islands to Shu Jing but strangely enough ] Lee did not feel tired. He could feel the pull of the sun, and the chi that tugged at his veins as if longing to get out, it could only mean one thing. Dawn was approaching. Thinking about the powerful feelings that the sun evoked in a firebender. Lee couldn't help but think back to the first time he first felt the enticing power of the sun, back when he was just a boy. _

_

* * *

_

Lee was always up at dawn, the fourteen-year-old couldn't keep his eyes closed and sleep whenever the sun was rising and today was no exception, as if his body had taken on a life of it's own, his eyes were wide open and were blinking before he could comprehend the fact that he was awake. Lee uttered a curse, careful to keep his voice low least his mother heard him. Lee ran a hand through his hair in frustration and glared through the thin walls of his house, as if he could see the sun through the wood. Lee may have been firebender and according to one of his teachers, one of the best in his class, but it still didn't make sense to him why he couldn't sleep as long as he wanted to. Lee got to his feet and rolled up his sleeping pallet .

"No point hanging around" he muttered to himself. "Might as well get some of my chores done"

Yawning loudly, Lee pried the broomstick out of the corner of his room. It took no more than two steps to enter the makeshift kitchen that consisted of a fireplace and a sink. The kitchen was small and rather cramped for room but it was clean and uncluttered. A woman was kneeling down at the fireplace, staring the contents of a big black vok, the woman, who seemed to be in her early thirties, had skin as dark as honey, her face seemed to have held vestiges of great good looks but the stresses of poverty and aging have marred her wonderful features, making her look prematurely aged.

"Morning, Lee" called the woman.

. Lee smiled back, his stomach growling at the spicy scent of breakfast.

"What's for breakfast, Mom?"

Lee's mother rolled her eyes at his lack of greeting but did not say anything.

"The usual" Lee groaned, 'the usual' meant porridge with spicy acorns and nuts.

"Mom, can't we have something else" pleaded Lee. "Like... spiced dumplings?"

Lee's mother may have lost some of her beauty, but her once beautiful vesitage would restore itself whenever she turned to smile at her son.

"You have such a beautiful smile, Lee" she gushed, in a way only a mother could. "But, no"

Lee snorted in an affronted manner.

"Why couldn't the old lady cook for us more often?" he growled.

"Don't call her an old lady, Lee" his mother snapped, in a stern tone. "Besides, you must never rely on people, Lee, even if they _are _your friends"

"Why?" he asked, puzzled.

"Because if you burden your friends with your problems you will end up all alone" His mother said. "That's just how the world works"

Lee sighed. "Fine, but that doesn't change the fact that I'd like something else for breakfast"

"Don't act like a spoilt baby" His mother said with a teasing smile. "Now go wash up, or you'll be late for school"

"Yeah, wouldn't want to miss school, now would I? Cause that would be _such _a shame"

His mother choose to ignore the comment.

"If you have time to talk than you have time to wash" she said. "Now hurry up before it's too late to have porridge"

Lee grumbled to himself, making his way back to the room, grabbed his towel and walked back to the entrance of their small apartment.

"Bye" he called, before opening the door and closing it on his way out towards the public washrooms.

_Lee knocked hard on the gate, the noise echoing through the quiet surroundings, only stopping when the gate were eventually opened and he was ushered in. _

_"The Fire Lord has been expecting you" _

_Was all the butler said before turning around and walking towards the castle. As he fell in step behind the butler, Lee stared up at the castle wondering how only two men managed to live in such a behemoth of a building. It came as no surprise to know that such a grand estate once belonged to a noble who lost interest in the building, while he and his mother, Yangyang had to make do in a small apartment with only two rooms and a kitchen. _

School, if there was one thing Lee despised about his life it was school. His fellow peers were not rude to him by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, many of them came from a background much like his own and shared a sort of kinship with him. The people who made his school life a living hell where the teachers themselves, many of them were used to teaching students from richer families and considered degrading to their career having to teach the '_plebeian runts_' As the students were called, Lee couldn't care less about what the teachers thought about him, what really bothered the young man was whether it would effect his education. It required top grades to enter the Fire Nation's Military Academy, especially where firebending was concerned and Lee was worried that the teachers would deliberately fail him or else teach him only half of what he needed to know to pass the state exams.

Lee had never believed the messages that were pounded into his head during school, as the harsh reality of his situation served as an antithesis for the propaganda he had to put up with in school, Lee refused to believe that he should give his all for the sake of the Fire Nation, after all, what had his country done for him? For all it's wealth, the Fire Nation did not seem interested in helping the impoverished across the country preferring to pour their money into other areas.

Surely if the Fire Nation had enough money to spend on hundreds of warships, tanks and building great statues for the Royal Family and Fire Sages surely they would have enough money to help it's impoverished people? Surely they should help those who had to struggle on a day-to-day basis like him and his mother.

Despite, the budding resentment Lee had towards the Fire Nation and it's expenditure policies, no fourteen- year- old boy could resist the grandeur and majestic stature of the Army Barracks. The Barracks wasn't too far from where he lived and Lee would frequently spend his evenings climbing atop a hill and watch various regiments with deferring banners practice their drills in a cloud of fire and loud cries. The thought of joining the Army was an enticing prospect for Lee, he hoped to join the army when he was older and command his own regiment or perhaps his own legion.

_General Xiu Lee _he thought to himself. _Wow, now that's what I call 'sexy' _

Of course, it was more than just ambition that kept Lee's dream afloat, by joining the army, Lee hoped to give the support to his mother, he felt was long over due. Lee's mother Yangyang worked as a waitress in a restaurant and washed clothes for a laundry service to make ends meet. Yangyang would come home at midnight, barely able to walk through the door and collapse on the bed, before getting up again at the crack of dawn to cook breakfast and go off to work. To make matters worse, Yangyang would regularly skip meals, eating nothing more than a few bites saying that she was not hungry, but Lee was not ignorant. Despite the hard work his mother did Yangyang could not afford enough food to feed a growing boy and a woman who worked nearly twenty-fours a day. To make matters worse, she had taken to coughing recently, getting worse and worse as the weeks worn on. Lee had insisted that he take on a part-time job, but his mother had adamantly refused, insisting that he get through his education until he turned sixteen.

_Then you'll be old enough to join the army _she had told him. _When that happens you will be a hero for us all. _

If Yangyang had said those words to make Lee a more focused student then it had worked, no teenage boy could turn down the prospect of being a hero. Lee had dropped the idea of getting a job mainly because his mother was too stubborn but the thought alwas lingered at the back of his mind.

* * *

_It wasn't an easy life, he mused as he made his way into the castle and into the long dark corridors. But it certainly wasn't as bad as it could have been. Needing a distraction from his own thoughts, Lee decided to strike up a conversation with the butler. _

_"I hear that the Avatar and his friends are here" he said._

_ "Who did you know that?" said the butler in a casual voice. _

_"The Fire Lord informed me in his letter" said Lee. "He also said that he needed to speak with me" _

_The butler did not respond and Lee gradually fell back into his thoughts. Life was hard he mused, But it wasn't until that day did it really take a turn for the worse. _

_

* * *

_

The day had been simple enough, wake up in the morning, go to school, go to the hill that overlooked the barracks then come home to make dinner. There had been a military procession that day, something about a General inspecting the barracks and he had been standing on the hill for too long and now he was running late. Running through the crowded streets of the city, Lee decided to take a short cut towards the slums. The short cut was a path that cut through the red light district of Fire Fountain City, Yangyang had frequently warned Lee never to go their, not that Lee would anyway.  
For one thing, it took a lot of money to acquire the services of those in the red light district, something that he did not have, in addition to services there was something about the women  
who worked in the district, that, for lack of a better term, freaked him out. Lee found the excessive facepaint and perfume to be downright disgusting, if not nauseating and he (unlike many boys his age) avoided that place unless he had absolutely no choice.

Lee entered the district at full run, the streets were filled with men of all ages peering at the women through wooden bars. As he ran through the district, he could hear men making a few comments about the merchandise.

"What about that one?" said a man. "Nah, too skinny, I want some tits to grab onto"

It sometimes surprised Lee how these women were willing to endure such a degrading job for money. The young boy was abruptly cut off from his train of thought when he ran into something hard. The young boy staggered back in surprise trying to recover from the hard blow to his hard face. Before he could even comprehend where he was, he felt a hand shove him hard to the ground.

"Hey, watch it, brat!"

Lee shook off the fading pain and glared up at the man who had shoved him. He was dressed in Fire Nation armour indicating his status, He glared at Lee with a hard, condescending look in his eyes. Lee glared back at the man, despite the obvious disparity in size and strength.

"You watch it!" he snapped. "I was walking here!"

"Why you little-"

The man immediately lit a fire, making Lee cringe but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. The second man was dressed in red and black armour much like his peer but Lee could immediately tell that he was an officer. The officer shook his head at his friend who snuffed out his fire, while muttering under his breath. The officer who had stopped a fight from brewing, looked at Lee with a contemplative look on his face, as if trying to remember where he had seen him before. Lee did not like the look on the man's face and got to his feet, dusting his clothes as he did so.

"Nice meeting you two" he said sarcasm, written all over his face. "Now if you don't mind-"

He was abruptly cut off when the officer grabbed his chin and forced him to look up at him.

"Hey!" he yelped, struggling against the large hand on his chin. "Let go!"

For the first time since meeting these two, Lee felt a dart of fear pierce his heart.

"Whose your father, boy?"

The question surprised Lee and he stopped struggling.

"What?"

"I said whose your father, boy?"

Lee stared at them with a confused look on his face. What did these people want of him? _Why _were they asking about his father when even his mother didn't answer that question.

"I don't know" he said, truthfully. "I have no idea! Now let me go"

"Ditch the kid, Yan Rin" said the other man. "He's just some bastard, his mother probably works here"

The officer ignored his friend and continued to glare at the boy, he must have sensed that Lee was telling the truth because he shoved him away. Lee staggered back, as the officer wiped his hand on his robes, as if Lee was something dirty.

"Get out" he said. "Before I change my mind about letting you go"

Lee didn't need to be told twice, without so much as a glance at the two men, Lee ran down the lane, his legs moving as fast he could. Questions were popping through his mind like fireworks.

_Why? Why were these men asking me about my father? What did they want? Did they know something? Was he in the army? Why wouldn't my mother say anything about him? Why did she always try to avoid the subject? Did my father do something horrible? Did he abandon me? Did he abandon us? _

Lee felt a surge of anger at those thoughts. Why didn't he know who his father was?

Lee did not stop running until he reached his home, he was shaking with fear and he could barely think straight. Instead of going around making dinner as he usually would have done, Lee huddled in a corner unable to stop his body from shaking in fear. Lee sat there the same thoughts kept circulating through his mind.

_What did they want? Why did they think about my father? Why wouldn't Mom tell me? _

In all his fourteen years, Lee had never cried, but now sitting in a dark corner of his apartment, Lee was on the verge of tears. For as long as he had lived, Lee had always wondered about the father he never knew, he would frequently look at his reflection in the water and wonder if he resembled him, but most of all, he would wonder why his mother never said anything despite his questioning. She would merely shake her head and give him a strict glare that told him not to ask again.

Lee did not move from his position even when the sun sunk beneath the horizon and the moon took over the skies. Around midnight, the door opened and he nearly jumped in surprise.

"Lee?" came his mother's questioning voice.

"Mom..."

Yangyang must have caught the fear in Lee's voice because when she next spoke it was in a tone of panic and maternal concern.

"Lee? Sweetheart what's wrong?"

With a wail, Lee ran from the corner of the small apartment seeking the protection only a mother can give.

"Lee? What's wrong, what happened?"

There was a hint of fear in her voice, which was understandable, she had never seen her son so scared. Lee didn't respond immediately, instead, he relished the protection he felt in his mother's arms, feeling safe and reassured.

"Two men..." he whispered.

"Two men?" repeated Yangyang, confused, then with a hint of steel in her voice. "What did they do to you?"

"They didn't do anything" said Lee, his voice muffled in his mother's dress. "But they asked me about my father"

Lee felt his mother's arms tense at the words. Lee looked up wanting to make eye contact as he said the next few words.

"They asked me about my father and when I said I didn't know they just told me to got lost"

An awkward pause followed these words.

"Why did they ask me about father, Mom? Did he do something? Was he famous?"

His voice rose in hope at the last few words. His mother didn't immediately respond, instead she walked past him and made her way towards her room.

"Mom?"

"Pack your things, son, we're leaving"

It was as if Lee had been punched in the gut.

"What?" exclaimed Lee, flabbergasted, this was not the response he was expecting. "Why?"

Yangyang didn't respond, the cluttering of things being put together was the only sound that filled the room.

"Mom!" snapped Lee. "Tell me who my father is. Now!"

The pent up frustration over the years was reaching a boiling point, Lee had always wanted to know who his father was and now with the interrogation from those two officers, he _needed _to know. Yangyang abandoned her packing and settled herself before her son.

"Listen to me, Lee" she said. "I want you to pay careful attention"

Lee nodded.

"There is a reason why I have not told you who your father is and for that reason I will not tell you now"

Lee opened his mouth to protest, but his mother placed a finger on his lips to silence him.

"When you're old enough to know, when the time is right, I _will _tell you, I promise you and then you will understand why the secrecy was necessary"

Lee felt disappointment crawl into him but he nodded.

"Good, now I need you to do something for me"

She got up from her kneeling position and went over to their kitchen. Yangyang returned with a large pan in her hand.

"Go give this to Old Lady Gi, she leant it to me a few days ago"

Lee stared at the pan, trying and failing to comprehend what was going on.

"So... we're really leaving then?"

Yangyang nodded. "

I'll tell you where we're going as soon as you come back"

Lee nodded and took the pan from his mother.

"Come home quickly, don't stop anywhere, just run to and fro"

Lee nodded and crossed the short way to the door.

"And don't tell anyone where we're going, even Gi"

Lee nodded in understanding, with one last sorrowful look at his mother, he disappeared through the door.

_I trust you, Mom _he thought to himself. _I trust you to keep your promise to me _

If only he had known that this was the last time he would be seeing his mother, he never would have left her side.

* * *

_The castle was nothing more than a ridiculously large maze. Lee could never understand how one man could insist on living here all by himself with just a butler who barely spoke more than three sentences. "This is ridiculous" muttered Lee. "Where's the Fire Lord? Playing hide-and-seek?" The butler did not respond but instead, indicated a room ahead. "Your quarters, sir" Lee was taken aback. "I thought you were going to take me to the Fire Lord" "I will" said the butler. "But he insisted that you refresh yourself and have some food. He understands that you've had a long journey" Lee grumbled incomprehensibly under his breath but the thought of food and a hot bath was too enticing and Lee decided to ignore his pride for once and take the offer. Lee brushed past the butler and opened the door to a comfortable looking room with a plush bed. "This just might be worth the trip" _

_

* * *

_

He ran hard, not stopping, nor looking around at passer's by who gave him odd looks. Gin, or Old Lady Gin as Lee preferred to call her, was an aged woman who had lived all by herself having raised her son and daughter both of whom now had their own families. Gin had taken pity on Lee's mother thinking that her husband was serving in the front if he had not died there. Old Lady Gin was not close friends by any stretch of the imagination, but she was nevertheless a very helpful person whenever either member of the family asked for help. Lee was not particularly close with this woman, for some reason, his mother insisted that he have minimal contact with the woman whenever possible. Had it been any other night, Lee would have been apprehensive about seeing this woman again. But tonight, his fears where channelled elsewhere and he did not think about anything else, as he made his way towards the block of apartments where old Lady Gin lived. He vaulted the steps, ducked under someone's clothesline, before skidding to a halt before a run down door. Lee knocked on the door and did not stop banging until he heard it open.

"Who goes there, banging on my door like some uncouth ruffian-" barked the high-pitched voice of a woman.

An old woman with wrinkled, brown fizzled skin opened the door branishing a broomstick at a befuddled Lee.

"I tell you... oh Lee, what is it dear?"

Upon seeing the boy, Gin's voice went from furious to concerned in a matter of seconds.

"I just wanted to return the pot you gave us" said Lee, holding it up for her.

"Oh"

It seemed as if she had forgotten about the pot.

"Well, thank you, dear" she said. "Is your mother well?"

Lee remembered his mother's warning not to tell anyone that they were leaving, Lee's mind was still having a hard time processing what was going on.

"Yeah, she is, I have to go, it's late and Mom wants me home as soon as possible"

"Well, it is dangerous for a boy such as yourself to be wondering around in this late hour. Well, good night, dear"

Without further ado, Gin closed the door, leaving Lee alone. The young boy didn't waste a second, as he ran down from the apartment block and began to make his way through the crowded streets, desperate to make it back to his mother. Lee couldn't explain it, but something in his gut told him that he needed to be with his mother tonight, as if he couldn't let her out of his sight for one second._ Leaving, _they were leaving Fire Fountain City for good, and going Agni knew where, Lee still found it hard to believe that this was happening, it seemed hard to believe that only last night, his biggest worry was getting into the Fire Nation Military Academy. Now such a concern seemed so insignificant in the onslaught of what had just taken place. The young boy had just rounded a corner when he felt it.

It was an odd sensation that Lee couldn't describe, it was as if something was tugging at his body, the chi in his veins flared up as if stimulated by adrenalin and he was hit with the sudden urge to climb the roof of a building and jump all the way to the ground just to see if it would hurt him. Lee couldn't quite find the words to describe what he was feeling but he knew what the sensation meant. Somewhere, somehow, some way, somebody had started a fire. As if to confirm his thoughts he could hear several people cry out in alarm and panic. Barely two steps, later the choking smell of smoke hit him square in the nostrils, Lee almost choked, startled at it's intensity. Lee continued to run and noticed that the smell of smoke grew stronger with each step he took towards the apartment block where he lived.

_Mom!_

For some reason, Lee had a feeling that his mother was in danger, perhaps it was the fear he felt ever since the officer asked him about his father, but his gut feeling told him that there was a fire and his mother was directly in the middle.

Lee rounded a corner and gasped at what he saw, the roof of his apartment building was a ablaze with a bright orange flame that ate way at the frail wooden structure of the building. Smoke, dust and cinders flew up into the sky, alighting the dark sky with a fierce orange light. But Lee did not notice any of this, there was only one thought that was going through his mind.

"MOM!" The call wretched from his throat in a strangled cry making the people around him glance his way. But nobody spared him attention or pity, for his was not the only plight. All around him people of all ages were crying and waving desperately, some people were even on their knees. Lee ran forward ignoring everyone around him. He was a firebender who had been learning for at least twelve years, surely he could be able to bend the flame? Running hard, he leapt high above the air, somersaulted before bringing his foot down hard on the ground. The flame parted like a thin curtain, revealing blackened wood. But the triumph was short-lived as the fire soon gelded together.

"No! No! No!" yelled Lee. "Work, dammit!"

Desperate to find a way, he wildly swung his arms and the fire responded parting away as if being swatted but it was not the solution. To make matters worse, Lee's actions had spread the fire to other buildings.

"Back away, boy!" roared a gruff voice. "You're only making things worse!"

Lee ignored the man, desperation, panic and adrenalin pumping through his body.

"There has to be a way!"

Lee broke into a run, as he got closer to the flames he parted them aside, only to be greeted by a second overwhelming curtain of fire. Smoke clogged his throat and he choked, he felt his eyes burn from the intensity of the flame and he backed away. Lee got back a few feet, breathing hard as he did so. There was no way he could hold his own against that inferno. Lee tried his best not to think about his mother and what could have happened if she had been in the building this whole time.

_I can't get through, I can't swat away the flame _he thought. _Then I'll just have to redirect it. _

Lee had only seen it once, performed by his master, it was a very advanced move, something, his teacher told him, he would not be able to perform in his lifetime, but Lee didn't care about that at the movement, his mother was in the building and he would do anything to save her. Taking a deep breath Lee held out his right hand, with two fingers facing the blazing inferno and began to swirl his other hand around in circles, trying to direct the flames into his right hand.

_Come on fire! I am a bender and you will obey my command! _

Thoughts of his mother flashed through his mind and the last words she had said to him. Lee growled furiously and his inner fire flared, responding to his emotions, Lee could feel it, every single flame that licked the wood was under his grasp.

"COME ON!" he roared, furiously. "WORK!"

Slowly, as if bidden by some unseen power, the flames abandoned the building and flowed towards his outstretched hand. Before Lee could even grin in triumph, the flames touched his fingers and he felt a searing pain course through his arm. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt before, it was blinding, mind-numbing and almost destructive. The flames were not burning him but something was happening to his body, something that was shaking his inner core. Lee roared in pain but did not relinquish his hold, the pain coursed through his right arm. A small part of his brain told him that he had fallen to his knees.

_It's my chi _he thought desperately. _The fire is flowing through my body in the form of chi. _

Slowly, Lee held out his other arm, up into the sky and away from the other buildings.

_The stomach is the sea of chi _he thought to himself. _The chi goes there and then out my other arm. _

He did not know where he recalled this but he did not care, his mother was waiting for him. His eyes closed to the world, panting hard to relive the pressure on his arm and chest. Lee tried to channel the excess energy into his stomach. Slowly, inch by inch, he could feel it moving, like a worm crawling through the dirt, the energy flowed through his body. When it finally reached his stomach, the pain suddenly died down and he felt the pressure on his right arm and chest fade away. Lee took a deep breath, flooding his chest with air and relief. It was easier to channel the energy now that his body had adjusted to the sensation of having excessive energy. With little effort, he channelled the energy from his stomach, up his other arm and through his fist. The fire unfurled from his left fist like a light from a bulb and shot straight into the air in the form of a straight narrow beam. Lee kept his fist pointed up and his eyes on the sky, trying to keep his focus as best as he could. Eventually, the energy disappeared and the fiery feeling in his body faded away.

Lee fell on all fours, panting hard as he tried to figure out his bearings. He felt like he had run several miles, his body was weary and exhausted as if it had just taken a beating. Lee got to his feet and looked up, the apartment building he had once lived in was nothing more than a smoking ruin, it's walls so thin and frail, it was if sheer will alone was keeping it up. All around him, people ran towards the building, calling out to people or possessions that they had lost. Nobody stopped to help Lee, nobody congratulated him, nobody bothered to inquire about his well being. Lee ignored the people around him and staggered forward.

"Mom!" he called. "Mom!"

_She had to have survived. _He thought to himself. _She just had to._

He staggered to the building, dragging his feet through the soot and ash on the ground.

_Mom, please_

Lee looked up where the upper floors used to be, some of the floors were burnt right through and he was able to see the night sky, now cloudy with smoke. A sinking sensation was his only clue, a part of his heart began to sink into despair while his mind tried to be rational.

_NO! NO! She has to be alive. _

"Mom, where are you!"

Lee sunk to his knees, he felt the ash and soot dirtying his knees but he did not care.

_Mom! Please don't do this, I need you, please don't do this_

White hot tears began to pool in his eyes and fall onto the black ground. Suddenly, a wave of sadness hit him hard, taking away his breath. It was if his body was being split into two, he could feel himself crack under the feeling of melancholy. Lee didn't want to acknowledge it but a small part in his heart did, his mother was not a firebender, she had made that very clear. If she had been in the apartment when the fire started then he could no longer deny it. Lee let a loud wail that could have shaken the skies, no matter who he long he denied it, the evidence was undeniable.

Lee had lost his mother.

* * *

_With a sigh of relief, Lee sunk into the bath of warm water, allowing the liquid to glide over his limbs. He felt his muscles loosen and relax, he couldn't help the smile on his face. _

_"Yeah..." he groaned in pleasure. "Now if only I can have some snacks"_

_ But he knew that it was impossible seeing as there was no one to serve him. Lee recalled the time when he had been flirting with the servants in the royal palace and he couldn't help but chuckle at the memory, Zuko had been angry that his own Lieutenant had been engaging in such an immoral act. Thoughts about the prince, __brought Lee's mind to the present and how Zuko had been in a near fatal accident. As soon as, he had received the message, he had set out for the Royal Palace, it had been a long ride via ship. But when he had finally arrived. He found the palace to be empty of both the Fire Lord and the Prince. Lee would have been lost and out of sorts had it not been for a trusted servant who had told him that the Fire Lord had taken the Prince to Shu Jing and was waiting for him there and that an air balloon had been arranged for him. Lee dunked his head into the warm bath water, washing his face and hair. Now that his muscles were loose and limp, hunger became the foremost need that needed to be addressed. _

_"I hope this place has spiced dumplings" he murmured. _

* * *

Lee did not know how long he knelt there in the pile of ashes nor did he care. Only one thought was going through his mind. His mother was gone and he could not save her. Lee glanced up at the dark skies, memories of his mother flashing through his mind, but it was the simple ordinary memories that could have been lost in the throes of everyday life that occurred to him. Like the way she would wake him up almost everyday before school, the way she would dust his shoulders, brushing off imaginary dust, as if to say. 'Have a good day' The way she would always smile at him as she returned from an exhausting day of work, the way she would complement his cooking no matter how horrible it was, the way she would always give him a kiss on the forehead before he went to sleep, no matter how many times he rebuked it. Perhaps he could stay here, he mused, maybe he could stay here where his mother died and watch over her ashes until he died. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he knew that it was impossible, it was not possible to stay here where his mother had lost her life.

Lee clenched his fists, tears falling freely from his eyes, nobody had ever smiled at him or even shown an ounce of affection to him. Now the only person who had ever loved him was gone, snatched from his hands by the cruel tide of fate. Through the wetness of his eyes, Lee saw the ashes at his feet. One of his hands curled around the ashes and it fell through the palm of his hand.

"Are you here, Mom?" he whispered. "Are you among the ashes?"

That was when it hit him, his mother was gone, never to return into his life, no more smiles, no more brushes of the shoulders, no more complements about his cooking, no more kisses. She was gone and she was not coming back. With an ear- splitting roar Lee pounded the ground with his clenched fists, flame danced at the end as he kept crying out, the cinders on the building and the ground began to flare up but he did not care. He had lost his mother, he had lost the most important person in the world.

_How could this happen! _He thought to himself. _This should never have happened This can't be happening! _

But Lee did not have time to find answers.

Lee did not have time to contemplate, he did not have time to despair.

The tug at his inner fire was all the warning he had.

Lee looked up to see a powerful stream of fire aimed straight at his face. Acting quickly, Lee leapt to his feet and kicked the fire aside, dissipating the flame effortlessly.

"Who's there!" he roared.

From the darkness, came two people whose familiar faces made Lee's inside plummet with fear. It was the two officers he had met in the red light district. Lee leapt to a firebending stance.

"You were right about this one, Yan Rin" spoke the first officer, who had a dao sword in his hand.

"He's got the raw talent as well" said the second officer, the one who wanted to know who Lee's father was. "He was able to redirect all that flame, that's an advanced technique"

Lee's mind put two and two together.

"You're the one who started the fire!"

It made sense, _anybody_ who lived in the slums knew that playing with fire was downright stupid because you never knew when the fire would catch and spread.

"Hmph, he's pretty thick, though" muttered the first officer.

Yan Rin ignored the people who spoke.

"You're coming with us boy" he said.

"I'm not going, _anywhere_" snapped. Lee, feeling anger rise.

_These bastard killed my mother._

_ "_You're coming with us boy, or we'll drag you along with us"

"Over my dead body" hissed Lee.

"Fine, by me"

Without warning the first officer charged. At the same time, Yan Rin unleashed another stream of fire. Lee acted without thinking, he dodged the wild swing from the first officer, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and flung him in front of the oncoming fire. The man cried out and writhed in his hands as the flame hit him.

_You killed my mother _thought Lee.

He let the first officer go because he couldn't hold the larger man while he was struggling. As the first officer rolled, crying out in pain, Lee turned to face the second officer. Yan Rin growled angrily.

_You took away from me! _

"Damn you, you little bastard"

Lee felt the tingles of nervousness crawl into spine, he had only been firebending for twelve years and he had a superficial knowledge of the arts behind bending, while his opponent was a seasoned warrior, a veteran of countless conflicts. But Lee did not care, his mother flashed through his mind and felt his inner fire flare with anger and hate. It strengthened him and he felt a surge of anger and confidence.

_She's never going to be in my life again! _

Lee unleashed a powerful stream of fire. Yan Rin battered the attack aside. Lee followed up his attack with another stream of fire, this time aimed at his opponent's feet. Yan Rin was alarmed at the attack and leapt into the air, to counter the attack. It was the opening Lee needed. Lee held out his hand and unleashed another stream of fire, this time, narrowing the stream until it resembled a blade. The Fire Blade cut through the air, straight for his opponent. But Yan Rin was not an officer for nothing, he kicked the fire aside while in mid air. Lee took a moment to catch his breath but a moment was the opening the man needed. Yan Rin took a step forward and unleashed a powerful wave of fire. Lee stumbled back, as he tried to disperse the fire. Seeing that his opponent was faltering, Yan Rin followed up with another wave this time aimed at Lee's face. Lee had only a second to defend himself and he held up his forearms in front of him. The attack was so intense that it knocked Lee off his feet.

Lee felt his back hit the ground and he gasped in surprise. Before Lee could get to his feet, he felt something large and strong on his chest, pushing down on him. Yan Rin was standing over him, his lips curved in an arrogant smirk. Lee glared up at the man, feeling hate such as he had never felt before, coursing through his veins.

"Did you honestly think that a measly boy like yourself stood a chance against me?"

Lee continued to glare at the man, feeling his hate growing stronger and more intense with each passing second.

"It's a shame what happened to Yu"

Yan Rin turned to the fallen officer, before shrugging as if dismissing it.

"At least I'll be rewarded"

_You took her away from me! _

It was then that Lee felt something strange happen to his body, he felt his face grow hot. He took a deep breath to calm himself but the heat only grew more intense. He felt the heat pooling into his eyes and he bit the urge to cry out in panic.

"I'll be-"

Yan Rin looked down at the boy before him, whatever he saw in Lee's eyes made his own widen in fear.

"What are you-"

He did not get to complete his sentence, for he suddenly let out a strangled cry and staggered back. Lee got to his feet, panting hard as he glared at the man howling in pain. His inner fire was like a blazing fire, strong but out of control, and he strived to calm himself. Yan Rin staggered back a good distance before glaring at Lee, he was panting hard and covering his forehead. Lee saw something raw and red glisten on the man's forehead. He had been burnt.

"What the hell did you just do!" roared Yan Rin.

Lee shrugged, not really caring.

"Who knows?" he said, it was if his he felt cut out from the world around him. "But I do know one thing: You killed my mother"

_And I'll make you pay. _

Yan Rin snarled. "Get over that boy!" he roared. "Your mother was just a whore who couldn't stop spreading her legs!"

"I'll make you pay!" he roared. "I'LL MAKE YOU PAY! "

Lee growled in anger and responded with a series of quick kicks and punches

Yan Rin retreated, surprised by the intensity of the fourteen-year-old and the strength of his attacks. The officer struggled to keep his footing and Lee knew that one more powerful attack would unsettle him. Lee leapt into the air and performed a spinning kick, sending a blaze of fire at the officer. Yan Rin tried to block the attack but it was so intense that it knocked him off his feet and sent him flying into a pile of debris. Lee did not think, he did not feel, he just acted.

Lee charged at him, a large bright fire in his hand, orange tinkering on the edge of blue. Lee leapt straight at the officer who was trying to recover. As Lee descended on Yan Rin he saw shock and anger on the man's face, as the officer realized that he had been defeated by a fourteen-year-old. With a violent cry, Lee shoved his hand into the man's chest.

Lee did not think, he did not feel, he did not care. Only one thought passed through his mind as he stared at down at the smoking corpse at his feet.

_He killed my mother, he killed my mother, he killed my mother. _

* * *

"_What do you mean you don't have spiced dumplings!" he roared. "What kind of self respecting castle doesn't have it's share of spiced dumplings!" _

_The butler did not seem fazed by this insult to his maintenance of the castle and provision to his guests, he merely shrugged. _

_"We had spiced dumplings, sir" he said. "But the Prince's friends emptied all available stocks" _

_"The Prince's friends? You mean the Avatar?"_

_ All annoyance at the thought of no spiced dumplings vanished at the thought of of the friends that Zuko had mentioned time and time again. _

_"Yes, sir, they had arrived at least an hour before you did and are currently taking a bit of rest" _

_"Who can rest with the sun coming up?" murmured Lee, glancing at the window. _

_A thin pink line could be seen on the horizon, indicating that the sun would rise soon enough. _

_"Anyway, I'm rested and refreshed, where's the Fire Lord?" _

_"He is sleeping" _

_Lee's eyebrow twitched in agitation. _

_"Excuse, me?" "He's-" _

_"I heard you the first time" snapped Lee. "I meant, why?" _

_"Well, the Fire Lord has been through a lot these past few days" said the butler. "You do know-" _

_"Yes, I know what happened to the Prince" said Lee, in a testy voice. He sighed in resignation as his stomach growled. _

_"How is the Prince?" he asked. "He's much better since the day he had first arrived" said the butler. "Or should I say carried here?"_

_ Lee rolled his eyes. _

_"But the waterbender's healing has done wonders for his injury?" _

_"Waterbender?" said Lee. "One who came with the Avatar, I believe she's friends with the Prince" _

_Lee opened his mouth before closing it again, with a smirk. _

_'A waterbender, huh?' he thought to himself. Zuko, my man, you are full of surprises' _

_"Will you like anything to eat, sir?" _

_"Yeah, throw me what you've got" muttered Lee, his grumpy demeanour returning in full swing. "No spiced dumplings, honestly..." _

_

* * *

_

Life had been hard on Lee ever since the night he had lost his mother, he had killed her murderers but it did not change the fact that she was out of his life forever and that he would only see her once again when he had joined the Spirit World. Time and time again, Lee had wandered the streets of towns and cities wondering if he too should just end his own life, so that he could once be with the only women who had ever loved him.  
The depressed boy had been on the verge of acting on his words, when on a crisp, summer evening he found himself in a coastal area staring down at the ocean that seemed like nothing more than a blue glimmer in the distance. Lee could make out distinct rocks jutting out of the water and knew instantly that should he jump there was no chance of survival. Lee was steeling himself to commit the final plunge when he saw something that he did not expect. Floating on the sapphire waters of the Fire Nation was an immense, ship, dark and menacing it blackened the skies with it's never ending spew of smoke. There was something about that ship that made Lee stop in his tracks, something about it's size and immensity that made him pause and reconsider his thoughts.

_That ship, full of soldiers and tanks _he thought to himself. _Will I get to command one like that?_

Memories of his ambitions filled his mind, like a reservoir with water. He glanced at down at the ocean miles beneath his feet.

_How will I know if I don't try?_

In a split second, he made his decision.

"Screw this emo crap, I'm joining the army"

It was no easy task joining the military, the legal age to join the army was sixteen years of age but Lee was not willing to wait, even if it meant waiting for a mere six months to become of age. However, while Lee may not have been old enough to _legally _join the army, his orphaned status meant that he was not a registered citizen. Life in the army was hard work, because he had not joined at the legal age, Lee was not entered as a soldier but as a grunt, meant to do the most despicable chores. But the young man did not complain, for being in the lowest levels of the army meant that he was able to do watch the best firebenders in the regiment and the premier swordsmen in the army as they practised their drills. It took a year to do so, but by the time Lee had joined the army as a corporal, he was growing impatient, he was wanted to rise into a position of power and he wanted to do so quickly.

"Think you're real smart, don't you kid?"

Lee smirked at the man who spoke to him.

"So what if I am, sweet cheeks?" he said, arrogance dripping from his tone. "What do you plan to do about it?"

"I gave orders _not _to engage" snapped his Captain. "And you charged head on like a fool-"

"And won the battle" interrupted Lee, cutting off the older man from his tirade. "I took down a garrison of fifty soldiers and fifteen earthbenders and captured an entire town,_ all by myself_ Captain,_. _But all the credit went to you, I don't see why you have to complain"

The captain was not pleased by this deduction.

"Don't you , _dare_" snapped the older man, hissing in Lee's face and spraying spit over him. "Don't you dare, disrespect me"

Lee felt no fear for this man, the Captain may have been older and more experienced but Lee knew without a doubt that he could beat this man in a fight.

"What are you going to do about it Captain?" said Lee, in a mocking tone.

He cocked his head to aside as if thinking of a solution himself.

"Agni Kai?"

"Yes!" exclaimed the Captain, his eyes glowing with glee. "I challenge you!"

Lee couldn't help the malevolent grin on his face.

"I. Accept"

It did not take long for the Agni Kai to be organized, by the time Lee had reached the duelling ground, the stands in the ground were packed with men and women all of them excited at the thought of a good fight. Lee was surprised at the large turn out, considering the fact that the Agni Kai was announced less than fifteen minutes ago.

_It's not everyday a Captain challenges his own subordinate. _

He mused to himself. Lee hopped on his heels in anticipation of the duel. Memories of the night he had killed Yan Rin floated through his mind and he wondered whether the ability that had saved his life would come into play. He had not been able to replicate the hot feeling in his eyes, no matter how hard he tried.

"Whatever it is" he mused. "I wouldn't be needing it today"

Across the duelling grounds, he could clearly see his Captain, talking to two of his subordinates.

"Ass-kissers" he muttered contemptuously.

A loud voice rang through the grounds.

"Let the Agni Kai begin!"

Lee turned away with his back facing his opponent and knelt down on one knee.

_I can do this _he thought to himself. _I'll beat him. _

The thought had barely crossed his mind when the gong ran loud and clear. Lee turned around and was greeted by a blazing arc aimed at his torso. Lee dispersed the flame and followed it up with a round kick that sent his own arc. He quickly followed this up with a stream of fire along the ground. The Captain battered away both attacks before responding with a series of quick punches and kicks. Lee spread his arms around him and a wall of fire surrounded him, concealing him from everyone and everything. The Captain's attacks melted into the wall, making the older man cry out in frustration.

Safe behind his wall, Lee took a deep breath.

_I need to finish this quickly._ he thought to himself.

Lee took a deep breath and began to swerve his arms in a round circular motion. The barrier around him responded, peeling into two like a curtain, the flames swerved around in mid-air until it resembled two disks. Lee looked at his opponent and saw to his pleasure, that the Captain's eyes were wide in surprise and fear. All around him, people began to whisper in surprise and Lee knew why. Fire Disks was an advanced form that no Corporal was expected to perform. With a grin, Lee sent the discs flying, rotating his body on the spot as he did so. The discs flew in a circular motion, similar to that of a boomerang before converging sharply on the Captain. The Captain's eyes widened with fear as he saw the two discs of fire approaching him at a ferocious pace. At the last second, the Captain rolled aside but the discs followed him like a cat chasing a mouse.

The Captain was on his knees before he held out his arms to hold off the fire. The discs continued to come at him, pushing the firebender with relentless intensity. The Captain gave a loud cry, as he suddenly dissipated the fire. Lee could see him panting, hard, trying to catch his breath, clearly his attack had had it's effects on the older man. Sensing his victory inching ever closer towards him, Lee performed a fierce round kick that unfurled a glowing fire arc right at the man and it flew at him with the ferocity of the bender who gave life to the flames. The Captain turned around and hastily set up a wall of fire to protect him. But Lee's fire arc cut through the wall, as if it had never been there. The Captain let out a roar of pain as he was knocked back, the flames eating away at his chest. The Captain bumped along the hard unforgiving ground before he came to a sliding stop on the far end of the duelling ground. Lee smiled as a huge fireball sprang to life in his hand, he began to ran, charging down the ground at the fallen Captain who had not moved from his position. When he was only a few yards away, he kicked off from the ground and was airborne. Lee flipped gracefully through the air and raised his right hand high into the air. The fireball glowing brightly against the setting sun.

"You're finished, old man!_" _he yelled.

The Captain could only stare up at him, his chest blistering with pain, his eyes a mixture of horror, fear and regret. But Lee had no regrets, he had no regrets when he was fourteen and he will have none today.

"STOP!"

It was a loud, gruff voice, one that was used to giving orders and expected them to be obeyed. Lee landed on the ground and froze, standing over his fallen opponent. The fireball in his hand flared, as his anger rose.

_Who the hell thought they could interrupt me? _He thought to himself.

The thought had no sooner crossed his mind when a voice rang loud and clear through the ground.

"Kneel before General Jeong Jeong the Great!"

For some reason, Lee felt his insides freeze over at the mention of the name. Slowly, he turned around to look at his General, as everyone in sight stood up in respect. Jeong Jong was standing at the edge of the duelling ground, a magnificent figure, clad in red and black armour. His sharp brown eyes flitted from Lee, to the injured Captain, to the people on either side of the grounds.

"What is going on here?" he roared, to the crowd in general.

A skinny man with a weedy build ran forward and fell on his knees.

"Permission to speak, Great General" he cried.

"_Ass-kisser_" muttered Lee.

"Very well" said Jeong Jeong. "Tell me, what is going on here, Private..."

"Private Liu" said the skinny man. "Speak, Private Liu"

Liu got to his feet, with a huge grin on his face and Lee knew that whatever he was planning, it did bode well for him.

"What you are seeing here, is an Agni Kai, Great General" said Liu.

"That man" he spoke, pointing an accusatory finger at Lee. "Provoked Captain Yin into issuing a challenge, he's a ruthless barbarian with no respect for his superiors, had the Great General not interfered, he would have killed the Captain without a second thought"

A tense pause followed these words as Jeong Jeong asserted the situation, his eyes going from Lee, to the Private, to the Captain on the floor. Lee was bursting with sarcastic comments but he held his tongue, knowing that it was better to speak until spoken to. Finally, Jeong Jeong spoke.

"Get the Captain to the infirmary" he called. "This duel is over"

Lee cursed under his breath but said nothing.

"You" said Jeong Jeong, glaring at Lee. "I want you in the Colonel's office. _Now!"_

Lee took a deep breath.

"Spiky haired, bastard" he muttered, as he watched the General leave the grounds.

Lee saw Private Liu walking away and he quickly intercepted him. Liu saw him coming and his face scrunched up disgust.

"What do you want?" he snapped.

"Nothing" said Lee. "I just hope your husband will be okay so that he'll be up for the next ass kicking I give him"

Liu glared at him, Lee smirked and winked at the man.

"Don't worry, sweet cheeks, you'll see me soon enough"

Lee left Liu to think about those words as he turned away and made his way amongst the thronging crowd.

* * *

_He had showered and eaten, now the time had finally come to meet Fire Lord Iroh. Lee was a bit anxious as he wondered why the Fire Lord wanted to see him. Lee knew that the incident at the palace was no light ordeal, it will have deep implications for the royal family and he wondered just how powerful the T'ien Ti were. Lee walked, almost ceremoniously behind the butler, savouring the light feeling of not having any armour strapped to his torso. "So where is the Fire Lord?" asked Lee. "He is in his quarters" said the butler. Lee did not say anything else because he now knew that trying to get a few sentences out of this man was like trying to pull teeth of a chicken's mouth. The two walked down the corridors in silence until at last they came to a large pair of double doors. Lee knew without a doubt that Fire Lord Iroh was waiting for him inside. The Lieutenant turned to the butler and nodded. "Thanks for everything" he said. The butler nodded in reply. "There is no need to thank me, sir" he said. "It is my job to serve the guests of the Master" Lee rolled his eyes before walking up to the door. Lee took a deep breath, he couldn't explain but somehow he felt nervous at the thought of meeting the Fire Lord. He knock on the door, the sound of knuckles rapping on wood, ringing in his ears. "Please, enter" came the Iroh's polite voice. Lee took a deep breath, as he grasped the gleaming door handle. "Here I go" he muttered. Turning the handle, Lee pushed open the door and entered the Fire Lord's chambers. _

_

* * *

_

"So, you Corporal Lee, deliberately disobeyed your Captain's orders while in the frontline and engaged the enemy's forces. Despite your victory, you still blatantly undermined Captain Yin's authority forcing him to challenge you to an Agni Kai. An Agni Kai that almost resulted in his death with you as the perpetrator"

Lee nodded.

_He took three hours to find out that much? Jeez, we could some real time wasters in the army. No wonder we haven't won the war yet_.

He was cut off from his mindless rambling when Jeong Jeong began to speak again.

"You do realize that you have committed multiple acts of treason, don't you?"

"With all due respect, sir" said Lee. "I believe that I have not committed a single act of treason"

A few people gasped, others sputtered with outrage but Jeong Jeong was the only one who remained calm.

"Interesting, what makes you say that"

Lee took a deep breath, he needed to keep his name clear if he ever held hopes of a promotion. "Out in the front line, I defied the Captain's orders out of necessity. He stated that we should not engage the town's battalion until nightfall, while the tactic was a good one to take the opposition by surprise, it also would have weakened our firebenders, making them prey to the Earth Kingdom garrison. I felt that it was not necessary to wait seeing as we outnumbered the enemy two to one"

Jeong Jeong's face remained impassive, as Lee continued to speak.

"I only crossed the Captain's orders because I felt that waiting was a mistake, and that attacking at sunset was the right thing to do. As you can see, it was the right thing to do. As for the Agni Kai, it was Captain Yin who issued the challenge and I could not on any terms refuse him as he is my Captain"

"You do not decide when it is convenient for you to obey your superior's orders" snapped Jeong Jeong, glaring at the young man before him.

"Chin Fhu!"

"Yes, General?" said a skinny man, he was sitting on a table, with a blank scroll before him and his right hand, inches away from his ink brush.

The man looked quite excited and Lee knew that he was in trouble. Despite his defiant attitude, Lee couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach, there was going to be a black mark on his record and he might be demoted . Lee's stomach did an unpleasant flip over as he thought about going back to cleaning latrines and beds. Lee felt his hopes deflate.

_Good try, Lee_, _but you're done for._

"Chin Fu" repeated Jeong Jeong, his gruff voice carrying throughout the tent. "Draw up the legal papers"

"Yes, sir, I'll-"

"I want this man adopted into my family"

It took a moment for everyone in the tent to comprehend what Jeong Jeong had just said.

"I'll... _what_?"

"You heard me" said Jeong Jeong, his gruff voice not wavering. "I want Corporal Xiu Lee from Fire Fountain City to be adopted into the family as my nephew"

Chin Fhu was staring at Jeong Jeong as if he had grown a second head. Lee was stunned into immobility, he shook his head as if unable to believe what Jeong Jeong had just said. Wasn't he going to be demoted? Wasn't he going to have a black mark on his record? Or was this Jeong Jeong's idea of a joke? Chin Fhu was obviously thinking along the same lines.

"Um... General, sir" said Ching Fhu. "We're talking about a man who nearly killed his-"

"ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY ORDERS!" roared Jeong Jeong.

Chin Fu immediately cowered in a corner and shook his head.

"Good" he said. "Then you'll draw up the papers, and let me know when everything is ready?"

Chin Fu could only nod.

_He's really going through with this _thought Lee. _This crazy man is really going to adopt me into his family._

The another thought occured to him. _What if he knows something about my father? _

Bu the thought was immediately stamped out as he recalled his days as a grunt. Being amongst the lowest ranks, Lee had learnt firsthand the level of political intrigue and backstabbing in the army. His father had probably been some run-of-the mill soldier who had rubbed some people the wrong way. _  
_

Jeong Jeong turned to face him and he immediately straightened.

"You're dismissed, you will be sent for when needed"

Lee could only nod, he saluted the General and left the tent in a daze.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since the day of the Agni Kai and word that Corporal Xiu Lee was about to be adopted into General Jeong Jeong the Great's family spread like wildfire. The news combined with Lee's decisive victory over the more experienced Captain Yin made Lee the talk of the regiment.

Lee found the sudden interest in him a little strange and slightly unnerving, but he was able to take it all in stride because he had never cared too much about getting people's attention. Unfortunately, Lee discovered that as many admirers as he drew, he drew a lot of enemies as well. Lee could see them huddling in corners, whispering to one another and they would abruptly stop talking about whenever he was in sight. Lee was suspicious about these men, and suspected that they were planning something.

It occurred during the day, Lee had been scouting the area along with another soldier, trying to make out the terrain. The scouting team he was in, consisted of ten men, two men riding one rhino. Lee was on the back of the rhino with a man who had all but given him the cold shoulder ever since he had hopped onto the rhino's back. Lee did not make too much about this man's attitude and was more focused on the mission at hand. They were after all in Earth Kingdom territory and it wouldn't bode well for them if they were caught. The man had been stoically polite to him, responding to Lee's professional inquiries but did not volunteer any information of his own. Lee was slightly unnerved by the man's silence.

Lee winced in pain as the rough hide of the rhino rubbed against his thigh. They were in the depths of a forest, the ground was firm and fairly even, and covered with leaves. Suddenly, the man brought the rhino to a halt.

"Hey, why did you stop?" said Lee, resisting the urge to curse the man into oblivion.

In response, the man simply pointed to his left. Frowning, Lee, dismounted the rhino and walked a few paces before stopping. It was a town, a small, quaint little town located down the valley and sheltered by the forest next to it. Lee sighed, as he recalled the time he had single handedly captured a town that was similar in size to this one.

"I suppose we have to go back and report this" he said, the lack of enthusiasm evident on his face.

Lee turned around, expecting to see the rider and the rhino but no one was there.

"What the-" Lee was too surprised to speak. He did not hear the man take off because the ground was padded with leaves affectively muffling the rhino's hooves.

"Where the hell did that guy go?"

Lee had taken a step forward but before he could place his foot on the ground and arrow shot out of nowhere and landed inches from where his toes could have been. He immediately jumped back and pulled out his sword. Lee scanned the surrounding forest and concluded that he may have to burn the woods.

"Who are you?" he roared. "Show yourself, cowards!"

A loud laugh rose from the woods, sending a chill down Lee's spine. He tightened his grip on his sword, as a voice spoke.

"Do you really think that's a smart thing to say, Corporal Lee?"

Lee's stomach plummeted as five rhinos made their way out of the woods, surrounding him in a semi-circle.

"What's the matter Corporal? if I didn't know better I'd say you were scared"

Lee glared at the man on the leading rhino. "

Captain Yin" he hissed, angrily. T

he man descended from his rhino.

"I'm surprised you remember, Corporal Lee" he said, in a mocking tone and a condescending smile. "I would have thought that you would have forgotten about us commoners, especially with your first step into nobility"

This time the other men in the clearing laughed at the Captain Yin's words. Lee couldn't help the smirk on his face.

"I haven't forgotten you, Captain Yin" he said. "I certainly haven't forgotten about the time I fried your sorry ass during that Agni Kai"

Yin's eyes narrowed dangerously at that jab and Lee noted his fists clenching in anger.

"How _dare _you ruin my reputation!" he snapped.

Lee shrugged, despite his perilous situation, Lee was unable to help the words spewing out of his mouth.

"Wasn't much of a reputation if you ask me"

"I _hate _you, boy" hissed Yin. "I hate you with everything I've got. First you ruin my respectability by defying my orders, then you ruin my reputation by beating me in that Agni Kai. _I hope you rot in hell!_"

The words had barely left his mouth, when Lee sensed movement to his left. He spun around and blocked the blow aimed for his head. Lee recognized his attacker as the man who was supposed to be his partner.

"You" hissed. "I-"

Whatever he was about to say, was cut off by the abrupt and earth shattering pain that ricocheted through his leg. Lee cried out in pain and surprise, as he dropped to one knee, clutching his leg. Yin loomed above him, with a dark look in his eyes that spoke of bad things to come for Lee. Lee was breathing hard trying to abate the sharp pain in his leg, he was certain that it was broken. "I've been waiting for this day for ages" said Yin. He drew back his fist and brought down hard on Lee's jaw. Lee gasped in pain, breathing hard as he did so. Lee glared at Yin, unable to think coherently because of the pain. Yin raised a thick club above his head.

"See you in hell, boy"

Lee could barely think, he could barely acknowledge what was happening. As Yin brought the club down, Lee could see his mother standing before him.

A sickening thud, a blinding pain... and then he was in a world of darkness. When he woke up, he could hear a voice calling out to him, a beautiful feminine voice.

_"Hello, Are you all right?" _

* * *

_Lee opened the door and glanced around, the Fire Lord was standing next to the window, he had been looking out at the scenery but as Lee entered the room, he turned around and smiled at him. _

_"Lieutenant Lee" he greeted. "How was your journey?" _

_Lee shrugged. _

_"It's been exhausting, your majesty" he said, closing the door behind him. "But I'll manage" _

_Iroh glanced at the newly risen __sun before nodding in understanding and then quite uncharacteristically of Iroh, he cut right to the point. _

_"Lieutenant Lee, I needed to see you because there is something that I must ask of you, something that I felt, was only appropriate to ask in person"_

_ Lee nodded. "What is it, Fire Lord Iroh?"_

_ Iroh took a sigh and Lee could see the affect the past few days had had on him. _

_"What I am about to ask of you will be very difficult on you" he said, in a grave voice. "It will also be very hard on my nephew, I know that the two of you are good friends"_

_Lee nodded, the tentacles of apprehension squeezing ever tighter around his body but he choose not to say anything. Iroh looked at Lee directly in the eye. _

_"But please note that I only ask this of you because I can see no other way to resolve this conflict. What the T'ien Ti had tried to do..."_

_ Iroh trailed off and Lee respectfully turned away, allowing the old man a few moments of privacy. _

_"I can no longer sit back and watch how this plays out" said Iroh, in a normal tone and Lee felt it safe to look at him. "But nor can I deal with them with outright military force, that would be counterproductive"_

_ "What do you intend to do, my lord?" _

_"I must ask you to undertake a mission that could decide the fate of the Fire Nation and it's monarchy" said Iroh. "Are you willing to undertake this mission, no matter what the consequences?" Lee hesitated before nodding._

_Iroh sighed in resignation and Lee couldn't help the feeling that he had signed a death warrant. _


	23. Out in the Open

_A/N: I'm back! I want to apologise for taking so long, real world was calling, plus I didn't like where the story was going so I decided to make a few changes here and there. But on a happier note, Avatar is going to have a new series! Wohoo! Who is else is excited? I know I am!_

_Thanks a lot for everyone who reviewed the previous chapter, I'm looking forward to reading your reviews about this one. It's a bit long so be prepared. _

_

* * *

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**_Chapter 22 - Out in the Open _**

Katara wondered the massive hallways of the castle, gazing around in interest at the various portraits that dotted the hallway. The waterbender had never taken a good tour of the castle before. The last time she was here, she Aang and Toph had kept their distance while Sokka forged his sword, thinking it was best not to get too comfortable around the seemingly friendly master. Katara sighed wistfully, as she turned a corner and continued to walk down the path.

_It_ _had been such a long time ago_, she mused to herself. _Even if it had been only three years . _

There were times when Katara wished that she could go back to the days when things were simple, back to the days when she had travelled the world with her friends. The situation had been tough but they were travelling down a clear path, with a clear plan and a clear agenda. Help Aang master the four elements in time for the comet, avoid the Fire Nation until then. How hard could it have been? The sixteen-year-old had no idea that _keeping _peace was a lot harder than obtaining it. Now, after months in isolation from the world, she was finally at the heart of world stability... that was at the moment, on precarious balance. Katara took another turn, as her thoughts returned to Zuko, her mind seemed to revolve around the prince, always travelling full circle before returning to him. Thoughts of their recent talk echoed through her mind and she huffed in anger.

"Honestly" she snapped, to no one in particular. "I know I said harsh things but he didn't he have to get so upset!"

But the thought still disturbed Katara, how were they possibly going to cooperate with such unresolved issues between them? Katara sighed and leaned against the wall, trying to get a grip on her thoughts. The waterbender realized that she had feelings for Zuko, that much was clear but it did not mean that she wanted to be in a relationship or get back together with him. There was simply too much going on at the moment, too many responsibilities heaped on their shoulders to even _think _about romance. Katara shook her head.

_I have to talk to him s_he thought to herself. _I have to make it clear that despite our history we can't do anything not until this is solved, but first I have to talk to Aang._

The waterbender had resolved to tell Aang about her feelings and her intentions tonight after the meeting with Iroh and the gang. Katara knew that it would not be easy, but she was confident that their friendship would pull through.

Katara suddenly stopped in her tracks when she saw someone standing still . The person was holding up what looked to be a small flame, illuminating his features in the semi darkness. Katara raised an eyebrow as she recognized the person.

" General Iroh?"

"Retired General" came the reply. "May I ask what are you doing wondering the halls? I would have thought that you would have gone back to the meeting room, where your friends and brother are enjoying a rather delicious feast prepared by our butler Jin"

_So that's the butler's name _thought Katara, making a mental note of it.

"I just felt like taking a walk" she said, with a small shrug. "There's a lot to take in"

Iroh smiled in understanding.

"Would you like to join me in a little portrait seeing?"

Katara giggled at the odd choice of words.

"I would love to" she said, in a gracious voice.

She made her way towards the smiling old man who she was starting to like more and more.

_It's hard to believe he's Ozai's older brother and Azula's uncle _she thought to herself. _He's such a gentle person._

Katara stood next to Iroh.

"So tell me" she said, in a chirpy voice. "What exactly are we looking... at?"

Katara's voice faltered, as her eyes fell on the portrait Iroh had been staring at. The portrait consisted of two dragons, one red, the other blue, both of them dancing around each other. Their lanky, elongated bodies wrapped around one another, bearing their fangs and claws in open hostility. Katara had never seen a live dragon before but if this portrait was an accurate depiction of them, she could fully understand Aang's initial fear of them. Her eyes travelled away from the dragon and noticed that there was more to the portrait. Behind each dragon was a group of people, a group of pale skinned people with dark hair stood behind the red dragon, the veteran waterbender noticed that these people were performing various firebending moves. Standing behind the blue dragon, were a set of dark skinned people who Katara had never seen before, many of them had red paint across their faces marking various symbols, firebending in a very different manner than their paler counterparts. Iroh glanced at Katara with a sly pair of eyes before speaking.

"Have you ever heard of the tale of Agni and Kai, Katara?"

The waterbender shook her head, hearing only vague words about the firebending duel from the time Zuko told her about the dark incident with his father.

"Isn't that the firebending duel?" she said.

Iroh nodded.

"There are various interpretations of the story" said Iroh. "But there is one particular story that is recorded in ancient history and is therefore the real deal"

Katara raised her eyebrow at Iroh's odd choice of words but choose to say nothing.

"Shall, I tell it to you?"

Katara turned to look at the old man and shrugged.

"Why not?"

Truth be told, her interest was piqued.

"Long ago, before the Fire Nation Islands were united under one tribe, the dragons were the ones who reigned supreme over the Western Lands"

"Western Lands?"

As far as Katara knew, the Fire Nation was an archipelago.

"It is implied in these documents that there was a large continent not too far from the archipelago that makes up our country, and no, it is not the Earth Kingdom"

Katara smirked, surprised how Iroh was able to read her mind.

"This was a time when humans lived in caves and were subservient to the dragon populace. The dragons ruled these lands in much the way the Fire Lords used to rule our country"

Katara did not like the implication behind those words.

"One dragon, Agni, wished to teach humans the gift of firebending, believing that this gift would grant the human populace the qualities and the powers to rise from the cave dwellers they were and become the mighty civilization that they were meant to be. His brother, Kai, objected to this, as he felt that such a powerful and noble gift would be wasted on what he felt to be an inferior species"

Katara couldn't help but snort at the irony, in her eyes, firebending was a noble gift and for a hundred years it had been wasted on destruction and chaos. If Iroh had sensed what Katara had been thinking he did not show it, he chose to continue with this story.

"Agni however, was convinced that the human race had the potential to achieve more than the dragons allowed them to, but Agni was also wise, he wanted to see how humans would react to such a powerful gift. So he sought out a small group of people, he searched far and wide and eventually, he came upon a small tribe that already had a deep and strong admiration for fire through the worship of the sun. Agni sensed that they were perfect tribe to teach and so he presented to these people the gift of fire and the power to bend it. These people became known as the Sun Warriors and they became Agni's devoted followers"

Katara nodded in assent, she recalled Zuko mentioning their name years ago when he had first joined their group.

"With the gift of firebending, the Sun Warriors grew and prospered into a great civilization and Agni was proud to see that his effort had paid off. However, while Agni was proud, another was furious"

"Kai" whispered the waterbender.

Iroh nodded in assent.

"Kai was angry that his brother had defied his orders and given their sacred art to humans. In vengeance, he started to reveal the arts to his _own _group of people"

Katara's eyebrows shot into up in surprise.

"So he went back on his own word? Why?"

Iroh shrugged.

"Nobody knows" he whispered dramatically. "Some believe that Kai was jealous of his brother's foresight and wisdom and thus sought to outdo him. Others believe that Kai was suspicious of Agni's motives, he was convinced that his brother was trying to build himself into a god by gathering worshippers and elevate his status above and beyond the other dragons and there are others who are convinced that Kai sought to eliminate Agni's achievements by training his own group of people"

Iroh paused and Katara understood what he was trying to say, there were _hundreds _of theories to explain Kai's motives but nobody knew for sure.

"Kai's actions would plunder the Western Lands into darkness and chaos" continued Iroh. "A war broke out between the Sun Warriors and Kai's tribe, for decades the war was a stalemate nobody won neither did they lose, it was nothing but pointless genocide, as the tribes used the same weapons"

"Fire"

"Yes, Finally, the other dragons felt that enough was enough. The fighting amongst the humans was to stop and Agni and Kai were to be held responsible. The dragons ordered Agni and Kai to duel each other, to resolve this battle once and for all, whichever dragon lost their respective tribe would be wiped out by the dragons"

Iroh paused and coughed to clear this throat.

"The battle between Agni and Kai lasted for days, both dragons berating each other with an endless amount of fire, their battle set acres of land aflame, many believe that the Western Lands was wiped out during that duel. It was even said that the ocean had evaporated from the intensity of the flames and the sky was choked with smoke"

Katara rolled her eyes.

_Water is more versatile than that _she thought to herself.

"Both Agni and Kai were equally strong but they fought day after day until they could no longer breathe even a puff of smoke. Eventually, both dragons were lost to their wounds and passed away. The dragons cremated their bodies, leaving a mountain of ash behind. That mountain is known as the Dragon's Den. The loss of their god-like figures was devastating to both the Sun Warriors and the people of Kai, as a result both tribes lost their will to fight, the dragons did not see the point in wiping out the tribes. Instead, the dragons became guides for the people of both tribes and they prospered in peace and mutual respect" Iroh took a deep breath, a much needed pause from his heavy story. "Agni and Kai fought to the death to resolve their differences. It was a battle that proved to be the ultimate solution to a war that lasted for decades. Hence, every firbender follows in the footsteps of the first firebenders and resolve their differences in a battle to the death, a battle known as an AgniKai" Katara took a deep breath as she contemplated the words that were said, she never thought that the firebenders could have a such a tragic history. "Why are you telling me this?" she finally asked. Iroh smiled ruefully. "I cannot help but think, my dear Katara" he said. "That the actions of Agni and Kai had set the Fire Nation down a dark path where peace cannot last long. For centuries, the tribes of the Fire Nation fought against each other to unite these lands under one rule. Eventually, it was my ancestor who succeeded in doing that. Then, came the Hundred Year War and the entire world suffered... and now... just when we were on the verge of a new era of peace... We find ourselves on the brink of civil war"

* * *

"Where's the food!" Sokka's voice cut through Katara's thoughts like a knife. The waterbender growled in frustration.

"Sokka, try to be a little more patient! Bulter Jin is trying his best" she snapped.

Sokka turned his large blue eyes on her.

"But I'm still hungry!" he cried out in an imploring manner.

Katara glanced towards Suki, as if to say _He's your boyfriend, you deal with him. _ The small chuckle from the Fire Lord was enough to break the siblings out of their bickering.

"I'm sure Jin will be ready soon enough" he said, in a reassuring voice. "But why don't we have something to drink. Avatar Aang, I'm sure you'd like some fruit juice?"

Aang had been sitting in a corner, withdrawn and contemplative but at Iroh's words he looked up and smiled. Katara studied him closely, the dark circles around his eyes had faded.

_Good _she thought. _That means he slept well last night. _

Katara couldn't quite explain it but there was something about him that seemed different, he no longer had that hassled look about him, as he had did days ago.

_I have to talk to him _she thought to herself. _I need to tell him that we can't keep this up any longer. _

Katara looked back on the past couple of days and couldn't help but grimace at what she had done.

_I've been a monster _she thought to herself. _And I need to stop this before it gets any worse. Both for Aang and for me._

"There's no need to call me, Avatar, Iroh, just call me Aang"

"Aang"

"What?"

"Nothing, just testing it out"

Aang scowled in annoyance as Toph barked an unladylike laugh..

"Relax, Twinkle Toes" she said, punching him jovially on the arm. "Have some juice, take a lounge and relax, who knows when you would get another chance to chill out like this again"

"Fine" mumbled Aang.

Toph grinned.

"That's the spirit, TT"

Katara noticed Iroh looking at Toph then Aang then back again with a small smile on his face and she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking .

"Would you like some fruit juice?" repeated Iroh, offering a cup to Aang.

Aang raised his hand in acceptance. "I guess"

A loud noise made everyone turn around, somebody had opened the main door. Zuko was standing there, and from his ruffled hair to sleepy eyes, it was quite obvious that he had just woken up. Katara's heart jumped into her throat and she stood up.

"Uh..."

Everyone continued to stare, making the prince feel distinctly awkward.

"Hi everyone" said Zuko, raising his hand. "It's...uh... nice to see you again"

For a moment, Katara could only stare at him in awe.

_That's all you can say? _Then she sighed and shook her head. _You never change, do you Zuko? _

Everyone stared at him, as if he had just walked out of a tombstone. Sokka was the first to get out of his state of shock.

"Zuko, my man!" he yelled, apparently forgetting that he was hungry. "It's so good to see you, again! And alive!"

The warriror raced across the hall and pulled Zuko into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around the prince's injured ribs.

"Sokka" gasped Zuko, trying to push the other boy away.

"What! Don't want a hug from your old buddy!"

"That's not what I'm saying!" snapped Zuko. "I am saying I can't breathe"

"Oh, sorry"

"So let me get this straight, does the princey boy want a hug?"

Zuko scowled at Toph. "I've only been here for a few _seconds _and you're already making fun of me?"

Toph smirked before punching him on the arm.

"I think it's kinda of sweet"

Aang approached his former mentor.

"Zuko" he said, bowing respectfully and giving the Fire Nation salute. "Or should I say, Sifu Hotman?"

Zuko smirked at him and nodded.

"Aang"

He then walked up to the boy and placed a hand on his bald head.

"I see you've gotten a little taller" he said, with a smirk

. Aang slapped the hand, looking only slightly affronted.

"Shut up"

Katara couldn't help the smile on her face, as she watched the group. These people were her friends, and her family, they were without a shadow of a doubt the most important group of people in her life.

"Katara"

Zuko's voice always got husky when he said her name and it sent shivers through her spine.

"It's good to see you"

Katara smiled at him.

"It's good to see you too, Zuko" she said. "I can see that you're feeling better"

Zuko smiled.

"Yeah, you're healing has improved over the years"

Behind the prince, Toph made a gagging gesture and Suki covered her lips to hide her giggling.

"Don't I get a hug?"

Zuko raised his arms plucking the air with his fingers, he was positively smirking now. Katara glared at him but there was no real venom behind her glare. Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by non other than Sokka.

"I'm with Zuko, GROUP HUG!"

Before she could even move, Katara found herself being swept into a tight embrace. She could feel Zuko next to her, his warm feel and musky presence enough to keep her senses on edge, she felt the firebender wrap his arms around her shoulder and she did the same, she felt Suki do the same on her left and she reciprocated. Katara turned to Zuko with a small smile on her face.

"I thought you weren't too fond of hugs" she whispered.

Zuko smiled back.

"I can make a few exceptions"

"Get off my foot, Sokka!" snapped Toph.

Katara laughed, a genuine laugh escaped her throat for she felt happy. She couldn't remember anyone or anything else that made as happy as she was now. Katara looked around at everyone with small, bright smile on her face, all of them, including Aang smiled back at her and she instantly knew that they were all thinking the same home was with these people, her beloved friends with whom she had braved countless dangers and confronted so many issues. Home was a place, that was true, but a home was nothing without the people who were closest to you. With the inclusion of Zuko, the group felt complete and so... right For the first time since she had entered the Fire Nation, Katara felt happiness and relief sweep over her like a flood. The waterbender looked around at the faces of her friends and she just knew that everything will be all right.

_We'll fight _she thought to herself. _Because that's what we do best. _

* * *

Zuko sighed, as he collapsed onto a chair, rubbing his temple in the hope of soothing his aching hea. The reunion had been exciting but exhausting at the same time, between Sokka's persistent chatter, Toph's snide remarks and Katara's mere presence, the prince was already put out and tired. Zuko gently pressed a hand to his ribcage and he couldn't help but smile, while not a hundred percent,his injury improved significantly over night, there was no doubt in Zuko's mind that Katara had been practising and progressing in her bending. Zuko was certain that the Katara from three years ago would not have been able to do so much in one healing session.

"Zuko"

The prince pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned, why couldn't he just get away from her for a few moments. Katara marched into view, with a small smile on her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, with a smile on her face.

"Uh... trying to get something to eat?"

"Are you trying to get away from us?" she said, with a sly smile, choosing not to acknowledge what he said.

Zuko merely shook his head.

"If I wanted to avoid you guys I wouldn't have come out in the first place" he said. "I really am just hungry"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Oh, lighten up, I'm just teasing"

Zuko chuckled and a pleasant silence fell between them. The prince stared at his empty plate but he couldn't help but steal occasional glances at the waterbender who sat on the opposite of the table. Katara was clearly preoccupied with something, her eyes had that glazed look, and she was chewing on her bottom lip. Zuko couldn't help but stare at her lower lip, remembering a time when he had been sucking on it to make her moan his name. The prince felt a movement in the depth of his loins and he shook his head vigorously.

_Bad thoughts, Zuko _he scolded himself. _Bad thoughts. _

"Zuko..."

"Yeah"

The prince looked up, eager for a distraction from his imagination. Katara looked troubled, she continued to bite her lower lip in contemplation and her face was creased in a frown. Zuko knew that she was thinking hard about something.

"Katara, what is it?" he entreated.

Katara opened her mouth to say something.

"Zuko..."

Zuko got to his feet, wanting to wipe out that look of worry on her face. But then Katara shook her head, as if trying to dispel whatever she was feeling.

"It's nothing" she with a small laugh.

But Zuko was not buying it, he knew that something was bothering Katara, despite her attempt to be brave. Without saying another word, Zuko got to his feet and covered distance between them. Katara's eyes were wide with surprise. A small part of him noticed that he was almost a head taller than her but he dismissed the rather silly notion.

"Katara, what's wrong?"

"It's just that"

Katara turned away for a moment and when she looked at him again, he was surprised to see her eyes wet with tears. "You've been through so much already and I wasn't there to help you... I can't help but feel that I should have been there when you had fallen, you must have suffered so much until I got here and I-"

"Katara"

The simple mention of her name was enough to cut her off. Zuko wrapped his arms around her and lifted his fingers to her chin, coaxing her to look up at him. As she looked up at him, with her large blue eyes, Zuko felt a wave of strong feelings washing over him.

"Don't think about the fact that you weren't here" he whispered. "Don't worry about how I got this injury, in fact, don't worry about this injury at all. Just focus on the fact that you're here with me, you and me, side by side, let's just focus on how we can work together and-"

He was suddenly cut off by the feel of deft fingers on his lips. Katara was no longer on the verge of tears but she was in fact, smiling.

"You know" she whispered. "You talk too much, it's what you've always done"

Zuko widened his eyes in surprise.

_I am trying to comfort you! _He thought.

"You're right" said Katara, with a small smile. "There's no point thinking about the past week, you're alive, you're here, that's all that matters... and I'm going to help you.."

Her hands had crept up his torso and now rested comfortably on his chest, this combined with her final words made Zuko's heart race into overdrive.

_What did she mean by that? _thought Zuko. _What did she mean when she said that he would help me? Did she mean the T'ien Ti or did she mean something else? Agni's beard! Why are girls so complicated! Wait? Why am I reading too much into this? _

Zuko's mouth had gone dry and even if it hadn't, his mind had been wiped blank at the sight of Katara's hands on his chest. It suddenly occurred to him how close they were and it made him even more nervous. Didn't they break up? Didn't they have an awkward reunion only last night? Katara opened her mouth to say something but she could even utter a word the door burst open with a bang. Acting on impulse, Zuko spun away from Katara, glancing at whoever had interfered, torn between irritation, fear and surprise.

The entire gang, with the exception of Katara was standing there. Sokka was at the front, from the way his arms were spread, it was obvious to Zuko that he had been the one to throw open the doors, standing next to him was Suki, whose large blue eyes flitted from Katara to Zuko and back, a small smile playing on her lips. Toph was standing behind Sokka, grinning as if her birthday had come early. Zuko did not like the look on her face.

"Where's the food!" he cried. "I'm hungry"

"Sokka" snapped Suki, glaring at her boyfriend. "Look whose in the room"

Sokka's blue eyes fell on the prince.

"Oh, hey Zuko, you won't happen to know where the food is, would you?"

"No clue" deadpanned Zuko, choosing to ignore the way Suki and Katara smacked their foreheads in exasperation.

Meanwhile, Toph had crossed from the door to where Zuko was standing and smacked him hard on the arm.

Zuko yelled in surprise. "Do you have to do that, every time you see me?" Toph looked at him with fluttering eyelashes.

"But how else am I suppose to show my affection?" she asked in an innocent tone. "Or am I just, not _sweet _enough for you?"

Zuko did not like the implication behind _those _words.

Zuko opened his mouth to retort.

"My prince"

Zuko's mouth froze in mid-opening before turning to look at the source of that voice. Lee was standing at the entrance with a smile on his face.

"Lee!" exclaimed Zuko, in surprise.

The two men approached each other and clasped hands, both of them smiling at each other. Zuko never thought he would be so happy to see his friend again.

"I heard you took quite a fall" said Lee. Zuko shrugged.

"So they say"

Iroh entered the hall with a smile on his face.

"Lieutenant Lee travelled almost two days without stopping to get here in a short space of time"

Zuko raised an eyebrow in pleasant surprise.

"There was really no need to go through all that trouble" he said.

Lee dismissed Zuko's words with a roll of his eyes, as if he knew that Zuko would say that.

"What kind of a Lieutenant would I be if I didn't come to see my prince?"

Zuko sighed and turned around, he did not see the apprehensive looks that Iroh and Lee gave each other.

Zuko had barely taken a few steps forward when Lee suddenly slung his arm over his shoulder. Zuko couldn't help but notice the way Katara smiled at their interaction.

"Speaking of which" he said, in a soft voice that did not carry over to the others. "I believe introductions are in order"

"Huh? But didn't uncle just tell you-"

"Oh, he told me about your girlfriend, who, might I say, has _plenty _of spunk"

Zuko sighed and smacked his forehead.

"Besides I am not referring to your girl" said Lee, gesturing with a nod of his head. Zuko followed Lee's gaze to Suki.

_You've got to be kidding me. _

"Whose the short-haired chick?"

Zuko didn't reply, he merely sighed and made his way towards the breakfast table.

Breakfast, surprisingly enough was a pleasant affair. The dining hall had several, ceiling to floor windows that allowed weak sunlight into the well-furnished room, providing a pleasant atmosphere for those with ravenous appetites. Looking around the table, Zuko couldn't help but smile as the people around him talked, laughed and ate (or in Sokka's case, stuffed his mouth with everything within his reach) Looking around at his friends, it was hard to believe that somewhere out there was a bloodthirsty rebellion concocting another viscous scheme to overthrow his uncle. Usually, Zuko would have been adamant that they start working on a plan at once, but now... after nearly three years of separation, the prince wanted nothing more than to just indulge in the rarest form of friendship, one forged in the fires of hardship.

The prince glanced around the room. Iroh and Toph were engaged in a conversation.

"And would you believe it.. the tea maker said 'Oi! That's my teapot not the sunghi horn'."

Zuko shook his head and turned to other parts of the table, as Iroh and Toph's laughter echoed in his ears. To his surprise, Lee was deep in a conversation with Suki.

"So" he was saying, with a playful smirk. "I hear that you're from Kyoshi Island?"

"You heard right" replied Suki, biting into a mangoe.

"Isn't that the island created by Avatar Kyoshi herself? And that you are leader of a team called the Kyoshi Warriors?"

"Yeah, pretty much, how do you know so much?"

"Oh, Zuko may have mentioned you guys a few times while we were travelling"

"Oh..."

"Anyway, I was hoping that you would show me some of those Kyoshi forms sometime"

Zuko saw Suki chew on her piece of fruit with a thoughtful look on her face, finally, she shrugged.

"Alright, fine" she said. "Excellent, I'd love to see some of those _moves _of yours"

Zuko groaned and shook his head, he doubted whether Suki had any clue that Lee wasn't not referring to her Kyoshi forms. Zuko glanced in Sokka's directions, surely he would be worked up about this? I mean who _wouldn't _be worked up when another man was flirting with his girlfriend? To his utter surprise, he found Sokka pigging away with four or five dishes at the same time, to be busy with his food to notice what was going on between Lee and Suki. Katara on the other hand, was far more concerned.

"Suki, do you really think it's a good idea to go off with another guy, you know, given your _situation_"

Zuko frowned.

_Situation? What situation? _He shook his head. _Since when did I get so nosey? _

"We're not going anywhere" said Suki, in a slightly affronted voice. "We're just going to spar, I mean, it's been a while since I faced a firebender. The last time I went one-on-one with one, I ended up in jail, so I want to practice. Besides, it's not like Zuko can do any serious sparring" she added, gesturing to the prince.

Katara's eyes went from Zuko to Suki and back again.

"Actually, Zuko is almost fit, he just needs one more healing session," said Katara, ignoring Zuko's frantic shaking of the head.

Suki glanced at the prince, forcing him to stop shaking his head and smile.

"Eh, yeah... Katara has gotten really good with the whole healing thing... so I just need one more session," he finished rather lamely. Both Katara and Suki spared him an odd look before continuing their conversation.

"Well, I guess if Zuko will be al right," said Suki, with a shrug.

"Yeah, speaking of which, you better stitch yourself together, Hotman." said Toph, cracking her knuckles. "Cause I'm coming for you,"

Zuko spluttered. "Hey, look, guys, I've only started training a few months ago, I'm _no _condition to take on guys as good as you,"

"No excuses, princey boy." said Toph, grinning like a wild cat. "I'm coming for you and you better be ready,"

"But-"

"Actually, nephew, this would be a good way to get you into shape, you were always at your best when you fought against and alongside Aang and his friends," intervened Iroh."Why not have Lee spar alongside you?"

Zuko turned to his Lieutenant, who had looked up at the mention of his name.

"What do you say, Lieutenant?"

Lee smiled.

"I'm in,"

"So let me get this straight," said Toph, in a voice of pure excitement.

"I get to beat up _two _firebenders... _Sweetness_"

"I got it!" squealed Sokka, everyone jumped in surprise. They had forgotten that he was at the table. "We can have a free for all battle royale!"

A tense pause followed.

"A _what?_" said Toph.

"A battle royale!" squealed Sokka, waving his hands up and down in a frenzied manner. "All of us get involved in the fight. Me and Suki verses Katara and Zuko verses Aang and Toph verses Spikey, here." he said gesturing to Lee.

"That's ridiculous!" snapped Zuko. "None of us can get a good workout that way"

"Sounds _awesome,_" smirked Toph.

"How is that awesome?" said Zuko, rounding on Toph. "It'll be completely chaotic, half the castle will be destroyed,"

"That, my princey boy" said Toph. "Is _exactly_, why it's awesome. Plus I got the Aang here with me. Nothing like a little glowy to back you up"

Aang gave a nervous laugh. "There's no need to be_ that _extreme,"

Toph frowned at his words but didn't say anything.

"Why am I alone?" grumbled Lee.

"Because you're not part of the group", said Sokka, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Sokka don't be rude," snapped Katara. "Lee is Zuko's good friend."

"What! Meaning I'm not Zuko's good friend!" said Sokka.

"Well" said Lee, with a calculated smirk. "It's kind of hard to be your good friend when you spend half your time pigging away and the other half rambling like an idiot,"

Sokka glared daggers at the dark-skinned firebender. Lee reached out for a fruit in a bowl and held it out to Sokka.

"Apple?"

"That's it! _You're going down!_" yelled Sokka, leaping to his feet and sending his chair crashing down.

"What are you going to do?" said Lee, who was not intimidated at all. "Talk me to death?"

Sokka's eyes seemed to be bulging out of his sockets.

"I challenge you to an Agni Kai! Sword version!"

"Uh... there is no sword version,"

Sokka opened his mouth to say something but Zuko beat him to it.

"Enough! Lee stop provoking the idiot and shut up. Sokka sit down, there's no need to throw fit so early in the morning,"

Sokka was torn between yelling at Lee for provoking him and yelling at Zuko for calling him an idiot. Eventually, he choose neither and sat down, though he still glaring daggers at Lee, who looked like he was trying his best not to laugh.

"I don't know who this Lee guy is," said Toph. "But _IIIII _like him." Lee couldn't help but smile. Sokka decided to change the subject. "So about this battle royale," he said. "We can do it four nations wise, therefore it will be even, me and Katara, Suki and Toph, Zuko and jerkbender and Aang can be on his own but he's got the four elements on his side, so it's okay"

"But I don't like being alone" whined Aang.

"Fine, than we can do it this way..."

Zuko sighed clenched the bridge of his nose in agitation, this was going to be a long day.

* * *

Much to Zuko's surprise, the day had passed by rather quickly. The seven of them had been engaged in a 'battle royale' as Sokka had called it, from early morning to dusk, and had stopped only when nightfall had come. Zuko stretched his muscles and grinned in satisfaction, it had been a long time since he had such a good workout. Dull footsteps echoed across the halls as the prince made his way towards the study area that Iroh had taken up as his temporary office. The Fire Lord had told everyone that he would meet them in the room to discuss the very purpose of their presence in the Fire Nation: The impending threat of the T'ien Ti and the plans to stop them.

Zuko could not explain it but somehow the name no longer carried the threat it once did, for days after the disaster at Sozin, he would get chills whenever the rebel group was mentioned, but now, not even the rumours of their growing influence in the countryside was enough to twinge his nerves.

"Hi, there"

Katara's soft but assertive voice shattered his thoughts and he whirled around to face her. She was dressed in plain blue water-tribe garb, a symbol of a mind-set, focused and ready to do battle.

"Hey, yourself." he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I take it that your ribcage is fine?" said Katara, not meeting his eyes.

Zuko had not forgotten their awkward conversation the other night.

_Way to go Zuko, you made her feel uncomfortable. _

"Yeah" he said, his hand going to his ribs. "Thanks to you, it doesn't hurt any more."

Zuko glanced away as he said these words and missed Katara's slight blush. The prince had wanted to be alone with Katara ever since he had first seen her this morning but now that the moment was here, he now found himself wishing that he could sink beneath the floor and disappear.

"Zuko-"

The prince glanced at Katara only to find out that the waterbender had closed the distance between them, she placed a cool, gentle hand on his forearm. Zuko felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He could feel his arm exploded in an array of sensations that bordered on orgasmic. How could Katara affect him with just one touch.

"Zuko, I have to be honest," said Katara, in a tiny whisper. "There are things that I haven't told you, things that I've kept from you."

Zuko's heart clenched at those words.

"We all have our secrets, Katara." he said. "But that doesn't make us bad people,"

Katara gave him a lopsided smile.

"You were always good at guessing on what was on my mind," she said.

"And you know exactly what's on mine as well," responded Zuko.

Without thinking about his actions, he placed a hand over Katara's and wrapped his long fingers around it, in a comforting gesture.

"Katara the fact that we have secrets doesn't make us bad people," said Zuko, in a whisper that matched Katara's. "What makes us good or bad is how we choose to use these secrets"

Katara chuckled and placed her other hand over his own.

"I can see you've inherited your Uncle's gift for grand speeches"

Zuko spluttered as Katara broke off into a fit of giggles.

"Uncle?" was all he could manage.

_Are you comparing me to Uncle. _

"A little bit" said Katara, unintentionally answering the question that was on his mind.

Zuko chuckled, "The old man is rubbing off on me" he said, a hint of affection laced in his tone.

"That's not a bad thing" whispered Katara.

Zuko looked at Katara, his golden brown eyes locking in contact with her blue pair.

"I know,"

The two of them stared at one another, contemplating the distance and the intimacy between them, the strong feelings that still coursed between them and the confessions that they had yet to make. Zuko felt like his chest was about to explode, there was so much to say and so little time to do it.

"Katara" he said. "There's-"

"Katara?"

The two of them jumped in surprise and turned around to see who had called out to the waterbender. Aang was standing there, looking at Zuko to Katara and back again. The two of them jumped apart, Zuko was openly scowling at the young man, angry at him for interrupting their moment.

_Who does this guy think he is? _

"What were you doing, Katara?" asked Aang, his voice higher than usual.

"She wasn't doing anything" snapped Zuko._ Nothing that concerns you._

Aang rounded on Zuko, his grey eyes wide and defiant.

"Didn't seem like nothing to me" Zuko opened his mouth to retaliate. "Zuko"

Katara's voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"Why don't you go on a head to the meeting room? Aang and I will catch up,"

It was as if somebody had punched him in the gut, Zuko stood where he was feeling the wind knocked out of him.

"But-"

"Go, _please"_

Zuko noted the plea in Katara's voice and glared at Aang as if to say _that was your fault._ Before turning around and walking down the corridor, his mind burdened with thoughts of Aang and Katara.

* * *

The meeting had been assembled and everyone was present, Suki sat with Sokka, Toph and Aang stood to a corner leaning against a book shelf, while Katara, Zuko and Lee shared some bean bags on the floor. Iroh was standing behind a table looking around at everyone with a smile that did not reach his eyes. In the moody glow of the lanterns, Iroh seemed to be older than ever before.

"My friend and allies" said Iroh in a crystal clear voice. "We find ourselves pressed for time and therefore I shall get right to the point"

Zuko took a deep breath and steadied himself, he could feel the gravity of the situation seep into the room and into it's occupants. "After two years of stability, the Fire Nation finds itself on the brink of a civil war,"

Nobody said anything for they all knew about this but they all nodded in agreement. "The problem first arose when we first received a letter of emergency from the city of Sozin,"

"What's-" started Toph before she was shushed by Sokka.

Toph opened here mouth to retort but Aang placed an arm on hers, the earthbender kept silent. Iroh continued to speak.

"The letter stated that Sozin was expecting an attack from rebel forces. Zuko and his men along with two other regiments were sent to the city to reinforce it's garrison. Unfortunately, the rebels had made their move before the regiments could arrive and Zuko found himself dealing with a ruined city and thousands of refugees,"

Katara's hands flew to her mouth and Zuko couldn't help but wince at her reaction, and he wished he had handled the situation differently.

"The situation was complicated," continued Iroh. "But eventually we ended up losing the city."

"What about the people?" whispered Katara.

Zuko leapt to answer but Lee beat him to it.

"We were able to evacuate them and they're currently being resettled,"

Katara's smile of relief made her thoughts obvious.

"After that devastating blow, the T'ien Ti chose to lay low but now current reports indicate that they are on the move, again. This time in Niu Chengshi."

Zuko looked up confused.

"What are they doing there?"

Iroh gave him a piercing look. "Don't tell me that my nephew has forgotten the basic facts of his country?"

_Niu Chengshi... of course! _

As Zuko's mind lit with realization, Iroh turned to the entire group.

"Niu Chengshi, is the education capital of the country" he said. "Some of the nation's best administrators and commanders have come from that town"

"So why would a rebel group go there?" asked Katara.

But it was Sokka who answered the question. "It's the perfect place to be able to voice your opinions about the Fire Lord without fear of looking treacherous _and _garner support,"

Iroh nodded. "Another thing that concerns me is that Niu Chengshi is a coastal city that is not too far from the Yu Yan Islands,"

"So we go to Niu Chengshi?" said Zuko.

To his surprise, Iroh shook his head.

"No Zuko, not all of us can go, there is another matter that concerns me,"

Zuko's insides froze with dread, the prince took a deep breath.

_Please let it be something not serious _thought Zuko. _Like he lost his favourite teapot or something. I can't afford to have another serious situation on my hand. _

Unfortunately, Iroh seemed to have read his thoughts. "Zuko," he said. "Pay attention, this is serious."

With a sigh of reluctance, Zuko looked up and nodded.

"Are you aware of the history between the Yu Yan tribes and the Fire Nation?"

"Monkey feathers!" cried Aang. "Aren't those the archers who worked for Zhao when they captured me?"

Iroh nodded in agreement, Aang shivered, clearly the pinpoint accuracy of the archers was still vivid enough to scare him.

"The Yu Yan tribes were subservient to the Fire Nation even though they had autonomy from us" said Zuko, reciting the facts that had been drummed into his mind since youth. "For the sake of our friends, Zuko, let us go into detail"

Iroh turned to Katara.

"Lady Katara, do you remember our talk about Agni and Kai?"

"Yes" came the apprehensive response. "And do you remember I mentioned that my ancestor united these lands under one tribe after centuries of war?"

Zuko saw the waterbender nod and the prince couldn't help but frown.

_Since when did Katara get a history lesson from uncle? _

"I was referring to the years 500 BSC to 350 BSC when the _Sons of Fire _battled the Yu Yuan tribes in a quest for control over the archipelago,"

Nobody moved or spoke, everyone was caught up in Iroh's oratory.

"The war" continued Iroh. "Was drawn into a stalemate, our ancestors had firebenders but the Yu Yan were more than adequate with hand-held weapons especially the bow and arrow"

Aang shivered at those words, Iroh continued to speak.

"The two clans drew up an agreement that divided the lands equally amongst the tribes, but over the years, because of the Fire Nation's rapid development of technology, we expanded our population and encroached upon the lands of the Yu Yan. When Fire Lord Sozin began the war, he drafted the Yu Yan into the Fire Nation army and they have served since. Following the end of the war, Zuko and I granted them partial autonomy, to do whatever it was that they wished,"

Iroh paused so that the long history between the Fire Nation and the Yu Yan could be absorbed by the members.

"Now, my scouts indicate that Yu Yan want _more _than just autonomy,"

The words robbed Zuko of his breath.

"What!" he yelped. Iroh raised a hand to pacify his nephew.

"They have not done anything drastic as of yet," said Iroh. "But reports from soldiers from the Yu Yan Islands state that all eight tribes have united under one leader. Something that hasn't happened in over five hundred years."

Zuko gulped nervously.

"Do you have a name?" Iroh nodded. "The tribes have united under one who calls himself who Khargahan Khan,"

"Khargahan Khan?"

Iroh nodded and held up a document. "He has sent me this letter requesting the withdrawal of Fire Nation soldiers from Yu Yan territory,"

"He wants to start a war," Iroh shook his head.

"It is too early to come to that conclusion," he said. "But that is not what disturbs me."

Zuko frowned, he did not know what his uncle was trying to get at but he did not like it one bit.

"The Yu Yan's request for independence brings up a most complicated scenario" said Iroh. "We must consider the possibility that the T'ien Ti, if they can, _will _try and exploit this divide, having the Yu Yan on their side will give them a huge advantage. Possibility the power to engage in open conflict with us,"

Zuko took in the words with his hands in his lap, trying his best to stay calm in front of his friends.

_First the T'ien Ti, now the Yu Yan, who's next, the plumbers? _

After what seemed like ages, he looked up at his uncle.

"What should we do next?"

"You must go to the Yu Yan Islands" said Iroh, without a moment's hesitation. "You must diffuse the Yu Yan's need for independence, at the most tell them that they will get it but not at the moment. Our first priority should be dealing with the T'ien Ti and nothing else"

Zuko nodded.

"You'll need help," said Iroh. "We don't know the Yu Yan's attitude towards us as of yet, for all we know you could be walking into enemy territory."

"Hmm... you're right," mused Zuko, his eyes wandered around the room before finally landing on a certain waterbender.

"Katara, how would you like to go to the Yu Yan Islands with me?"

Katara's jaw dropped down in shock but it was Aang who spoke up.

"Why Katara?"

Despite the question, his tone indicated that he was demanding an answer.

"Because you're the most compassionate, understanding person that I know" said Zuko, acting as if Katara herself had asked that question. "And plus you've got some wonderful oratory skills"

"But, I don't know..." faltered Katara, torn between flattery and humility.

"You defeated Azula when she hit me with lightening," pressed Zuko.

"That was different," said Katara, shaking her head in denial. "If I didn't run out to the courtyard you would have beaten her yourself,"

"Sokka, told me what you did for Haru and his villagers when they were trapped in that coal mine." said Zuko, acting as if Katara had not spoken. "What you did back there? Believe me when I say that there are very few people who can do that. If there's anyone who can help me persuade the Yu Yan it's you,"

"But..."

"No"

The final words came not from Aang but from Sokka. Zuko felt a prickle of annoyance at the warrior.

"Sokka?"

"I don't think Katara should be going." said Sokka, with finality in his tone.

Zuko's prickle of annoyance flared and he got to his feet with the intention of asking Sokka but Katara beat him to it.

"And why not?" she snapped.

Sokka shook his head, as if trying to diffuse his sister's anger.

"Listen, Katara." he said. "What you did for Haru and the earthbenders, for that fishing village in the Fire Nation? I'm not denying that was some impressive stuff, but you have to understand that it's going to be very different with the Yu Yan."

"How so?" asked Katara, testily and Zuko instantly knew that she was only putting up with her brother only through years of self-thought patience.

"Think about it. With Haru and the other earthbenders? Freedom was something that they _needed _and you just reminded them of that. With the fishing village, you saved them _from _those soldiers all we did was ask them to keep our presence quite. It was an _I scratch my back you scratch yours _sort of agreement,"

"I think what we did for them goes _way beyond _scratching backs, Sokka," said Toph.

Sokka turned around and glared at the earthbender.

"The point is," he continued. "You will be persuading the Yu Yan to put off something that would be _beneficial _to them. You heard Zuko, they were subservient to the Fire Nation for over hundreds of years and I bet they're just itching to get away from these guys, you don't wanna mess with internal politics and tribal stuff, Katara, especially if it's the Fire Nation, it's _waay _too dangerous."

"Master Sokka is right." intervened Iroh. "The Yu Yan must be holding a serious grudge against us for their years of servitude, persuading them through diplomatic means will be _extremely difficult, _but it must be done,"

Katara did not hesitate for a moment, she looked up at Zuko, fire and determination blazing in her eyes.

"I'm going with you," she said. "I'm sure we can form an agreement that benefits both sides,"

Zuko felt a massive wave of pride sweep over him and he smiled at Katara. Relieved that he would not have to go on his own to strange territory. The waterbender turned to face her brother.

"I told you," she said. "I will-"

"Never turn my back on people who need me, _yeah I know_"

Suki giggled at the sibling interaction.

"If there's anyone who can find a way," she said. "It's Katara, there's no need to worry, Sokka."

Sokka threw her a _You-did-not-just-say-that _look, before sighing in resignation. "Whatever, if it makes you happy,"

Iroh chuckled before speaking again.

"I have received word from the White Lotus contingent,"

"According to my sources, there has been unrest in the capital and the T'ien Ti are operating in the area. I am going back at once to put an end to this movement,"

Zuko sighed, as he glanced up at the ceiling. The T'ien Ti were already in the capital. How could this have happened? How was it that these mysterious people with the hidden agenda were always able to stay one step ahead of them? It seemed like every time Zuko was getting his bearings the T'ien Ti would move in another direction forcing him to change directions.

"How long must we keep up this game of cat-and-mouse?" he whispered.

"Patience, nephew." said Iroh. "We foresaw that trouble would come-"

"Yes, but not like this!"

"Wait? You guys _knew _this was going to happen?" asked Aang from Iroh to Zuko in confusion.

"Yeah, that's just brilliant," snapped Zuko, his temper flaring. "Yeah, I somehow _knew _that a bunch of crazy men would destroy a city and annihilate half my regiment _and _try to kill me in my own palace!"

"Nephew!" said Iroh, a hint of steel entering his voice.

Zuko closed his eyes, taking deep slow breaths, silently berating himself of his brief lose of control. In the meanwhile, Iroh had taken up where Zuko had left off.

"We were expecting a little discontent among the military hierarchy and the nobles," said Iroh. "We certainly weren't expecting a group with the military power to engage us the way they did at Sozin, the T'ien Ti clearly has an agenda that has nothing to do with the Hundred Year War."

"How can you be sure?" said Suki. "War was the way of the Fire Nation for a hundred years until you guys came along and changed it,"

Iroh smiled, as if a student had asked the very question he had hoped they would ask.

"True," he conceded. "For the past one hundred years war was the way of the Fire Nation, but so was obeying your Fire Lord without question."

A stunned silence followed these words.

"No way." whispered Sokka.

"Yes way," said Iroh, with a smile. "The education system always emphasised the importance of obeying your Fire Lord without question. Therefore, when Zuko ended the hundred year war, a vast majority of the people did not protest, only the wealthy and the highly ranked military official, and they have not had the courage to protest openly or take action."

"But if the T'ien Ti becomes more bold and aggressive," said Zuko. "It could encourage them to do the same."

"But... but the note you guys sent me," said Aang. "_Clearly, _you guys were in trouble."

"Or maybe you just can't read," muttered Toph.

"We're in trouble" said Iroh, with a small smile. "But I never said that this rebel group was protesting because of the war. They have another agenda and I intend to find out what it is and going to the capital is the best place to find out" concluded Sokka.

"Exactly"

"I'll come with you" said Sokka, at once. "I want to know what these guys are up to,"

Iroh nodded.

"I would appreciate the assistance," he said. "Miss Suki would you like to come along as well?"

Suki looked flattered.

"I would love to," she said. Sokka spoke up.

"Suki, I don't think-"

"I _think" _interrupted the Kyoshi Warrior. "That I can handle myself in any situation"

"Try telling that to Azula!" snapped Sokka, losing his temper. "Listen! You..."

Sokka trailed off uncertainly as Suki glared at him. Tension prickled through the air as the couple glared at one another. Then Suki got up from her place next to Sokka and walked across the room to where Katara was sitting. She plopped down next to her friend and refused to look at Sokka for the remainder of the meeting. Zuko glanced at Sokka's ashen face and nodded in sympathy, although he couldn't help but feel a little relieved that somebody out there was having the same problems as he was. Iroh cleared his throat to regain the attention of the group, before turning to look at Lee.

"Lee, I want you to go to Niu Chengshi," he said. "And investigate this movement."

Lee nodded tersely.

"I'll do my best,"

Iroh looked at him for a second before speaking again.

"I have rearranged someone to assist you on your journey,"

Everyone's interest piqued at those words.

"Someone apart from us?" asked Katara, looking around the room, as if a stranger would pop out of nowhere.

"Who would you trust apart from us with a mission involving the T'ien Ti?" asked Zuko, inadvertently speaking the mind of the entire group.

"Me. Hello Zuko."

The familiar dull voice grated on Zuko's ears and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

_Dear Agni, please not her, __anyone __but her!_

Katara stared flabbergasted at the new person, as did everyone else.

"You!" she gasped, unable to believe it.

"Yes me," said the deadpan voice.

Mai entered the room as if she owned it.

"But..."

"What's the matter, Zuko? Afraid to look at your ex-girlfriend?"

Six pairs of eyes swivelled from Mai to Zuko.

"_Ex-girlfriend!" _snapped Katara.

Zuko sighed _Memo to self: Get away from Katara, maim Uncle for this. _

Zuko turned around slowly.

"Hello, Mai" he said, bowing low at the waist. "It's... good to see you again"

"The pleasure is all mine, prince" replied Mai, returning Zuko's polite decorum, choosing to act completely oblivious to the people staring at her.

Lee could only gawk at her.

"Wait a minute, the person meant to assist me is _you,_"

Mai spared him a disdainful look.

"Trust me, I'm not too thrilled at the prospect either,"

"Then why come here?" shot Katara, her eyes boring into Mai's.

"Because I was asked to" replied Mai, meeting Katara's heated glare.

Zuko had to give the dark robed girl credit, she was doing a remarkably good job at maintaining her demeanour despite the obvious tension.

"The Lady Mai is here on request from me" interrupted Iroh.

"We need all the help we can get," he added. "Regardless of where it comes from."

_I'd like to hear you say that when two of your ex-girlfriends are about to kill each other. _thought Zuko.

Katara refused to move from her position, continuing to glare head on at the young aristocrat. The waterbender eventually, sat down on the couch.

"Fine," she said coolly. "Fine"

The tension in the air did not cease with Katara's relent. Iroh cleared his throat.

"Mai's father is a native of Niu Chengshi, she has visited the town often when she was young. Her knowledge of the place combined with her skills will make an excellent companion for Lee."

Lee snorted in contempt, Mai rounded on him.

"Spare me the arrogance, Lieutenant." she said, the glint in her eye the only indication of her anger. "I am the one degrading my standing by associating with you,"

Lee turned to Zuko.

"I better be getting bonus payments, Prince." said Lee. "Or I'm quitting."

Zuko was too preoccupied to really care about Lee's request. "Fine"

"It's settled," said Iroh. "Katara and Zuko shall go forth to the Yu Yan Islands to negotiate a truce Master Sokka and Miss Suki shall accompany me to the capital, while Mai and Lee investigate and put down unrest in Niu Chengshi,"

"Where does that leave us?" asked Aang.

"Us?"

"Me and Toph, we don't know want to be left out,"

Iroh was looking at Aang with a calculating look on his face.

"Avatar Aang"

"Call me, Aang"

"I believe that you are connected with your past lives? Am I right?"

Aang nodded, though Zuko noticed that he looked rather doubtful, which he found odd.

"Is it possible for you to connect with one of your past lives, one of whom might know about the T'ien Ti?"

Zuko leapt to his feet in excitement.

"_Brilliant, _uncle" he cried. "One of Aang's previous lives _would _have dealt with the civil war, they have to"

Zuko turned to Aang expecting the Avatar to be excited, but to his surprise the young monk did not look excited, on the contrary, he looked downright depressed. Katara too seemed to have noticed.

"Aang what's wrong?" she asked.

"It's just that" said Aang, in a hesitant tone. "There's been something that I've been keeping from you guys"

The room went dead with silence, Aang suddenly became the centre of attention as everyone's focus shifted from Iroh to Aang. The Avatar looked at his friends clearly mortified at such intense scrutiny.

"Oh for Heaven's sake, Aang!" snapped Toph. "Just tell us already!"

"I..."

Aang took a deep breath and Zuko knew that whatever secret Aang had been keeping had been eating at him for a long time. Aang was never one to keep information from the people he trusted.

"I've lost my connection to my past lives," he said. "I can't use the Avatar State."


	24. Out In the Open II

_A/N: Well, there's not much to say in this A/N, except a sincere thanks to AnnaAza, Glasswater, wolf and sokkantylee for your reviews for the previous  
chapter. Another one out and in quick time too! Wohoo! _

_

* * *

_

**_Chapter 23 - Out In the Open II _**

"I've lost my connection to my past lives," he said. "I can't use the Avatar State."

A tense silence followed these words, Aang looked down at his feet, ashamed to look at the people he called his family.

"Aang" spoke Katara, getting to her feet. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"I... don't know" admitted Aang. "I guess I just didn't want to worry any of you... not until I've had a solution"

"How long have you known?"

The question did not come from Katara but from Toph who, till now had been unusually silent at Aang's side.

"Since we got to the South Pole" he said, turning around to look at her. "I had a nightmare and when I tried to contact Roku to talk to him about it, well... I couldn't."

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Katara's eyes widen, as if she had just realized something.

"Do you know what happened?" she asked.

Aang shook his head, feeling crestfallen.

"No," he admitted. "I don't know what to do."

Katara looked at him with her large blue eyes, full of heartfelt compassion. It was, Aang realized, the way she used to look at him when he was fresh out of the iceberg and discovering the changes of the world, it was a look she had not given him in a long time.

"I don't know why you chose to keep this secret from us," said Katara, in a soft, gentle voice. "But I trust that you had the best intentions in mind."

Aang could only nod not entirely comforted by those words. Best intentions or not, the monks had taught him that secrets were the seeds that  
reaped destruction in a family and he had held one of his own for so many weeks.

"And you haven't been able to..."

"No, I haven't."

Katara smiled at him in a encouraging manner.

"You've had problems with the Avatar State before, I'm sure you'll be able to solve this one"

Aang shook his head, refusing to buy into Katara's optimism.

"It's different."

"How so?"

"I've always had Roku to help me out with Avatar problems," he said. "But now, he's not here and I don't know what to do."

"And that's why we're here." said Zuko, walking forward.

Aang looked up at him, a mixture of courage and jealousy welled up in him.

"Non of us maybe like Avatar Roku." said Zuko, approaching him and taking Katara's side. "But we're your friends, but we will help you find a solutionm"

Aang gasped at the prince as he smiled at him.

"B-But what about the Fire Nation," he said. "We have some-"

"I'm well aware of what we have, Aang." said Zuko, in a light tone. "But my friend is in also need... and I won't turn my back on my friends."

Aang beamed up at him, unable to believe that it was Zuko of all people who was speaking in such a brazen manner, beside him, Katara smiled up at him.

"He's right, Aang." said Sokka. "We were here with you from the start, there's no way we will turn our backs on you."

"I just want to say," added Suki. "That even though I may not be apart of your group, I will do everything I can to help you guys."

Aang was hit with the strong urge to cry.

"Don't be stupid," he said, feeling his throat constrict. "You're part of us, you've always been apart of us."

Sokka and Suki came over, the warrior placed a hand on Aang's shoulder and the airbender could feel his brotherly love and support through his strong grip. Aang looked up at his friends and smiled at them all, unable to find the words to express his feelings and even if he could, there were no words that could be used to describe the depth of his feelings.

"You... guys." he whispered.

Aang could feel it coming, the warm, wet liquid that could express his feelings without words. Aang closed his eyes, taking a few moments to reign in his self-control, he felt a small, gentle hand on his shoulder and he opened his eyes to see Toph standing next to him, her smooth pink lips curved into a beautiful smile and Aang was hit with the urge to kiss her.

"We need to get to the bottom of Aang's problem," said Sokka, in an audibly excited voice. "This is the time to call Doctor..."

Aang shook his head, more to shake off his thoughts than to reject Sokka's idea.

"When Zuko had a problem with his firebending," said Katara, gesturing to the prince. "He had to go to the original firebenders to discover what had gone wrong, Perhaps Aang should go to a Temple for the Avatars and find out what he can learn?"

Aang nodded, eager to find a simple solution.

"That sounds like a good plan."

"But didn't Avatar Roku destroy the temple?" said Zuko, always one to detect flaws where they were.

"There should be others" added Aang, eager to support Katara.

But Zuko merely shook his head.

"There's only one Temple like the one on Crescent Island," he said. "Avatar Roku trained in that temple, it's what made it unique, there's no other temple like it."

Aang sighed feeling more crestfallen than ever. Toph punched Zuko angrily in the arm.

"Why don't you come up with something yourself, Hotman?" she snapped. "Since that brain of yours is just dying to give us a few of your brilliant solutions."

Zuko opened his mouth to respond but it was Iroh who spoke.

"Might I make a suggestion?"

The Fire Lord had not moved from his position in the desk.

"Of course!" said Aang, glad to be able to see a solution being offered by the wise old General.

But to everyone's surprise, instead of speaking to Aang, the Fire Lord spoke to Katara.

"Lady Katara, do you remember the story of Agni and Kai and how they met their tragic end?"

"They killed each other?"

"Correct," said Iroh, as if they were in class. "Then the dragons cremated their bodies, leaving a huge pile of ash behind, the pile was said to be so immense that not even the winds could scatter them. The ash was left untouched, a tribute to the sacrifice made to end the war. Over the centuries, the ash turned into a large island. An island upon which a temple rests."

"What is this place?" asked Aang.

"It is called the Dragon Pagodas," said Iroh. "Set at the foot of Dragon's Den, while it does not compare to the Spirit Oasis in the North Pole it is the most spiritual place in the Fire Nation, perhaps the being there can help you solve the issue that troubles you."

Aang nodded rather dubiously.

"Okay, where is this place?"

"It is an island in and off itself" said Iroh. "Not too far from the mainland"

"But-" said Aang, feeling rather hesitant.

The Avatar had come here with the intention of helping Zuko and Iroh, not adding to their problems and walking out now would be neglecting his duties as the Avatar. Aang had already made a mistake when he ran away from home a hundred years ago and he had no intention of turning his back on the world, especially when it needed him.

"I want to help you guys," he said, earnestly, looking at Iroh then Zuko and back again. "I came here to help-"

"Listen, Aang." said Zuko. "Don't worry about us and the Fire Nation, I admire how much you want to help us. But, you also have a duty to yourself, I know how much your connection to your fellow Avatars mean to you, you should focus on finding out why you lost your spiritual connection and how you can get it back."

"Yeah, Aang" agreed Sokka. "There's no need to worry about the Fire Nation, Zuko's got us... I mean come on, how hard could it be? We took on the Fire Nation and kicked their butts! We can do it again."

Zuko turned around to glare at Sokka before turning back to Aang.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Sokka has a point," said Zuko, choosing to ignore Sokka's incredulous _I am! _"We have done a lot over the past couple of years, this is no different, trust us we can handle it."

Katara put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, reassuring him in a way that only she can, Sokka followed and put a hand on his other shoulder, the warrior smiled at him.

"Group hug," he said, this time he did not scream it out loud but spoke softly, making him sound older and more mature. "All of us, you can't run from this one Zuko."

Zuko merely grunted but he stepped into the circle, followed by Suki and Toph. However, before they could envelope one another in a tightly knit hug, Katara stopped them.

"Wait," she said, "There's one important member of the group missing."

She was looking at Iroh as she said these words, the old man looked rather hesitant but from the looks on Aang and Zuko's face, Katara was clearly not alone in her thinking.

"But Appa is in the stable," said Sokka, effectively ruining the moment. "It would take _ages _to get him-"

Katara turned on him and opened her mouth to retort but before the Water Tribe siblings could say anything, Zuko cut them smoothly, determined not to let Sokka's clueless personality ruin the moment.

"Come on, uncle" he said. "This group isn't complete without you."

But Iroh seemed rather hesitant to join them.

"I..."

"Come on, General Iroh" insisted Suki.

"I'm flattered that you want me in-"

"Oh shut it, Gramps," said Toph, with a snide smile. "We all know how important you are to Sparky here, that makes you important to us."

The blunt words Iroh seemed to be convinced, he approached the group of young people, and settled between Zuko and Suki and hugged them both around their back. Aang couldn't help but smile at his friends as he looked at them, a waterbender who was calm and fierce as the water she bended, an earthbender as blunt and forceful as the earth at her command, a prince set in his ways and determined to fight his way through life, a warrior who was a contradiction of intelligence and stupidity, a young woman whose hands were soft and supple for her loved ones but hard and unyielding for her enemies, an aged man whose spirit had not lost it's shine of youth. In this little circle, stood the people who were most important to him, the little circle they formed was the most astute representation of his whole life. These people were his friends, these people made Team Avatar and Team Avatar was ready to take on the world.

* * *

"So you're coming with me, right?" asked Aang, such a question was unnecessary given the fact that he was at the moment, packing supplies for himself and Toph but the boy needed some sort of reassurance from the earthbender.

Toph raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question.

"Do you honestly think I'd let you have all the fun?"

Aang to face her, with a small frown on his face.

"This isn't a trip, Toph." he said, in a reprimanding tone. "We're going north to find out why I've been spiritually rendered helpless."

Toph remained where she was, sitting on a table, her legs swinging above the ground.

"You're such a mood killer, TT"

Aang shook his head and decided not to respond. Instead, he went back to packing what they would need.

"Talk to Katara, yet?"

The question had come out of nowhere and it caught Aang by surprise, he dropped the shrivelled prunes that he was about to pack and turned around again. For a moment, Aang was tempted to tell her to just mind his own business, then he recalled how the things she had said to him on the island and his mood lightened.

"No" he said.

"You have to do it, some time soon," said Toph. "All of us are leaving in a few hours, who knows what might happen in the future."

Aang took a deep breath in the hopes of easing the weight in his heart. Aang knew that if spoke with Katara, things between them would end. Aang was not ready for that to happen just yet, she was pretty, kind and compassionate and the most likeable person he ever knew.

_But does she like you back? _said a small voice at the back of his head. Before he could answer, there was a small knock on the door, Toph jumped in alarm before cursing and sliding off the table.

"Come in." called Aang, the door opened and Iroh peeped inside.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

Aang shook his head.

"Not really."

"In that case, Avatar Aang, I would like a word with you."

"With me?" he asked, a little surprised.

Aang couldn't explain it but he somehow got the feeling that he had done something wrong. As if sensing, Aang's concern, Iroh merely smiled.

"Don't worry young one, I just need to give you a bit of advise." he said.

"Oh... okay"

Aang nodded and left the door. As he passed Toph, he couldn't help but glance side ways at her, he knew that she would be listening at the door, Toph hated being left out of conversations. Iroh closed the door behind him.

"This way" he said. "It would not do good if our friend was eavesdropping, now would it?" Aang agreed with a small chuckle.

Iroh did not take Aang very far, merely a few meters away from the room and halfway down a corridor.

"Aang" said Iroh, "You're the Avatar, what a burden this must be and at such a young age too."

The airbender could only nod and wonder what Iroh was trying to get at.

"You have taken on a lot in your fourteen years," the old man continued. "And I'm sure it must be hard"

Aang nodded suddenly feeling a heavy weight on him, Aang had had to take on some serious issues in his life and had it not been for his friends he would have broken down on several occasions.

"Bu,t" said Iroh, and there was a mischievous look in his eyes that Aang had failed to notice. "Despite your trials and tribulations you're still a young boy at heart filled with hope and love for the future, am I right?"

"Well, I do love my friends" confessed Aang, feeling even more confused about where Iroh was going with this.

"In that case, Aang I want you to listen to me very carefully" said Iroh, his voice going from light-hearted to serious . "Do not procrastinate the issue at hand."

"I know, that's why I'm going to the Dragon Condo's place to..."

A small voice at the back of his head told him that Iroh was not referring to his problems with the Avatar State and was proven right when Iroh shook his head.

"It's Dragon _Pagodas _not Dragon Condos," he amended. "And I am not talking about those problems, I am referring to, forgive me if I am being too intrusive, issues of a more personal matter."

Aang's first instinct was to yell at the man who dared to interfere in his relationship with Katara but then he remembered that Iroh was merely being friendly, and besides, he would be lying if he said that he didn't need any help.

"What do you mean by procrastinate?" said Aang, he was not referring to the meaning of the word but rather what Iroh was trying to imply.

"If you do not solve the issue at hand while you have the time, then you may never get a chance to do so" continued Iroh. "And if you do not solve this particular issue you will not be able to see past the mist and find your path"

"Huh?"

Zuko had mentioned on a number of occasions that his uncle had the bad habit of speaking in vague metaphors to express his point, he finally understood how befuddled Zuko must have felt.

"You must confront the issue head on, or otherwise you may realize things too late."

"Are you... _oh _I get it,"

_He's telling me to talk to Katara or otherwise I may never be able to repair our relationship but then... _

"What do I say?" he asked aloud.

Fortunately, Iroh was ready with an answer.

"At times like these, Aang, you must look in here," he said placing finger on Aang's chest. "You must think about what's best for you and what's best for everyone."

_He's saying that I already know the answer, I just need to acknowledge it for myself. _realized Aang.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of confidence and new found energy, an elation that told him that he could do anything. For the first time since the conversation, began, Aang smiled.

"Thank you, General Iroh." he said, taking a step back and bowing low to the older man.

Iroh smiled back.

"There is no need to thank me," he said. "Helping youngsters rediscover who they are is a true delight in of itself... and it also happens to be my specialty."

Aang nodded before turning around and taking a step down the corridor, his stride full of determination and purpose.

"Aang, may I ask where you're going?" said Iroh in a polite voice.

Aang paused in his few steps and turned to look at the Dragon of the West.

"To talk to Katara," he said. "You wouldn't happen to know where she is, do you?"

"I believe she's in our Meeting Room, Zuko was giving her more background regarding the Fire Nation's history with the Yu Yan tribes."

Aang nodded and made his way down the hall, his mind was so preoccupied with his thoughts, that he failed to notice Toph come out of her hiding spot.

"What did you just do?" she whispered to Iroh, surprise written all over her voice.

Iroh smiled back at the girl.

"I just nudged him along, my dear, just nudged him along."

* * *

"So in, 500 BSC, the Fire Nation signed an agreement with the Yu Yan tribes, the agreement was to end all fighting over the archipelago and to respect the autonomy of both factions. When Fire Lord Sozin started the war, he requested the assistance of the Yu Yan to launch assaults on the Earth Kingdom."

"And hence the Yu Yan assimilated into Fire Nation society," Katara concluded with a small smile on her face.

"Fire Nation _military,_" corrected Zuko. "They were never really accepted into society."

"Hmph." snapped the waterbender, looking away. "You Fire Nation people and your ridiculous rules"

"Hey! They're not my rules, they're were my great grandfather's and they were in place for over a century." snapped Zuko, feeling the need to defend himself. "It takes time to change these things."

Katara opened her mouth to reply but a knock on the door beat her to it.

"Enter" called Zuko, the door opened and Aang popped his bald head inside.

"Aang?" chorused Katara and Zuko at the same time.

Zuko couldn't quite explain it but somehow felt like had been caught doing something wrong.

"Uh, hey guys" said Aang.

"Hey, Lee" acknowledging the third person in the group.

"Yo" he called back, waving as he did so.

Aang looked around, his grey eyes searching for a fourth person.

"Where's Mai?" he asked, the confusion evident in his tone. " Aren't you guys going on a mission?"

Lee sighed.

"She retired to her bedroom" he muttered. "Thank Agni"

"She left?" asked Aang, feeling even more confused.

"She put it in her words _'Refused to degrade her station unless it was absolutely necessary_" said Lee. "Can't say I'm complaining"

"I won't celebrate if I were you" muttered Zuko. "You've got a mission with her"

Lee scowled at his superior. "Bonus payment, Prince" he said. "I'm only doing this for the bonus payment"

"There's something fishy about that woman" said Katara, pouting in thought. "What _is _her real reason in helping us? Why bother agreeing  
to help Lee if she can't stand him?"

Zuko frowned in thought, truth be told, he had been thinking hard about Mai's reason. The prince had not had the chance to ask her because  
she had departed for her bedroom as soon as Aang had told them about his inability to connect with the Avatar State. The prince had thought about talking to her but the need to give Katara more detail about the Yu Yan and terrifying prospect of going to her room, especially when it was dark prevented him from doing so, leaving the prince to ponder on speculation. With each passing day, Mai proved to be a much more  
complicated person that he had first assumed.

"Maybe she just wants to help" said Aang, from the doorway. "She did help Sokka and Zuko when they tried to escape from Boiling Rock"

"Maybe she's bored of playing Stonefaced Princess in her house" said Lee.

Zuko turned to Lee. "_Stonefaced?" _

_"_Hey, I'm not the one who dated her."

The words seemed to have ignited a spark in Katara and her irate temper reared it's head, turning from Mai to Zuko in an instant. Zuko felt a  
chill radiate from her.

"And speaking of dating" she hissed, Zuko felt a stab of fear in his chest. "Why didn't you say anything about getting back together with her?"

Despite the fear he felt, Zuko still felt the need to defend himself.

"I'm not with her anymore" he said. "I... or rather we broke it of.f"

Katara opened her mouth to argue back but Aang's voice cut her off.

"Before you guys start a fight," he said, in a no nonsense tone. " Katara can I talk to you?"

Zuko was taken aback by how direct Aang was and more importantly his tone. It was a tone that stated he was not taking no for an answer. Katara had obviously noticed this subtle change in Aang, for she immediately nodded, slammed the book she had been reading on the couch before leaving the room. Zuko could only watch her go, with a feeling of apprehension crawling up his spine. The prince couldn't quite explain it but he couldn't help but shake off the feeling that something was going to happen and he was concerned that it might have an adverse effect on Katara.

Lee let out a low whistle. Zuko turned to him, knowing that he had something to say.

"With the way you've been looking at her," he said. "Why don't you just ask her to marry you?"

Zuko scowled at the lieutenant.

"With the way you've been talking about Song back on the ship," he snapped. "Why don't you just ask _her_ to marry you?"

For a moment, Zuko thought that he had crossed the line and that Lee was going to yell at him, maybe even hit him. What he was not expecting was the older man to slump further into the couch that he had been sitting on.

"I...well" he began uncertainly, then all at once the steel returned to his eyes. "Hey! That's none of your business! Besides, we're talking about your relationship!"

Zuko opened his mouth to retort but Lee beat him to it.

"You obviously have strong feelings for her, what happened?"

"I..."

Zuko was not ready to talk about what had happened with anyone just yet, it was an embarrassing memory that dented his self-confidence and belief in women in general. Not only had Katara broken up with him for no reason, she had gone on to have a relationship with a guy who was _four years _younger than him.

"Come on," persisted Lee, sensing the reluctance on Zuko's face. "I can tell that you're beaten up about it, and besides, it's not like I'm going to tell anyone."

Zuko sighed.

"Fine, but on one condition"

Lee smirked at him.

"Name it."

"You tell me _exactly, _what happened between you and Song"

The silence that followed seemed to have lasted for a hours, Lee's eyes did not leave Zuko's as he contemplated the decision.

"You drive a hard bargain, Prince Zuko." he relented. "Fine, I'll give you the details. Now tell me what happened."

Zuko took a deep breath, the prospect of revealing a zealously guarded memory was both terrifying and liberating at the same time. But Zuko told himself that he was confessing to a man who had undergone similar experiences.

"It all started after my Agni Kai with Azula... my own sister had struck me down with lightening and if it hadn't been for Katara, I would probably be dead." Lee was silent as Zuko spoke, taking on the serious expression that he usually saved for his work.

"After she had healed me, we exchanged words and then we kissed..."

As Zuko proceeded to explain his relationship he realized how much of a relief it was. The words came out in such a rush and he spilled out every detail.

Zuko proceeded to tell the whole story, how he and Katara had cherished a clandestine but happy relationship, how he had began to rely on her support and began telling her about his problems and how it had eventually driven her away.

"I think that the political problems made her realize that going out with me wasn't in her best interests," concluded Zuko.

Lee nodded.

"So, let me summarize," he said, and Zuko had the sudden idea that he had just said something incredibly stupid. "Just to make things clear: You kept going on about the Minister's crappy plans to your girlfriend, _including _the one about how you had to arrange a marriage to someone else and that drove her away?"

Zuko nodded in agreement. Suddenly, without warning, Zuko saw something large and leather bound fly like a boomerang at his head. The prince did not have time to dodge it and it hit him hard. Pain cracked through his head and he was knocked back. Righteous anger flowed through his body, as he got to his feet.

"What the hell was that for!" he roared, at Lee.

The Lieutenant shrugged, as if throwing a book at the prince's head was of insignificant consequence and Zuko was hit with the sudden urge to burn him to cinders.

"Because you're an idiot"

"I don't care!" roared Zuko. "You shouldn't have done that!"

"Apparently, I have to" said Lee, who remained unperturbed by what he had done or Zuko's anger. "Because words wouldn't get through that thick skull of yours."

Zuko's head was throbbing now and he was sure that he would be getting a large bump, he began to rub the throbbing spot in the hopes of reducing the pain.

"What did you do that for?" growled Zuko. "And you better have a good explanation or I just might burn you alive."

Despite the casual smile on his face, Lee was smart enough to heed a warning when it was given and he got to his feet ready to dodge any attack when it came.

"Zuko, let me ask you a question, what made you tell you're girlfriend about that marriage proposal idea?"

"I- I was just telling how it was getting tougher and tougher to do things on my own,"

"_Right, _she must have thought that you wanted to breakup with her,"

"Wait, _what!_" said Zuko, the feeling of outrage returning tenfold.

"That's just stupid!"

Zuko was starting to regret telling Lee everything, not only did he get a bump in the head but now he was getting what was quite possible the most ridiculous interpretation of Katara's actions.

"Think about it, Zuko." continued Lee. "Just imagine how you would feel if the roles were reversed? Let's say, Katara has a country to run, said country is very important to her, so you take a back seat to that, then Katara starts rambling on about how she may need to marry some other guy to help stabilize her country,"

At this point Lee paused for a brief moment, when he spoke again, it was in a very high-pitched voice, that was rather uncanny imitation of Katara.

"_Oh, Zuko, I have to marry someone else to secure my country Zuko, you understand right, Zuko?_"

"I didn't say it like that!" snapped Zuko, mostly to keep Lee from talking, his imitation of Katara was starting to irk him.

_By Agni, did I sound like this when I said those things? How could I have been so stupid!_

Lee stopped speaking and looked at the younger man who was still holding his head while glaring at him, a contradiction of intimidation and humour.

"I'm just saying it how it is," said Lee. "I'm not saying I'm a people expert but you, my friend, are deaf and blind when it comes to these things. Who knows? Maybe you incited the girl jealousy when you said all those things, and then, when you failed to clarify what exactly you meant, she must have thought that this was your way of wanting to break things off"

"But that was never my intention," snapped Zuko, ignoring the throbbing pain on his head. "I never wanted to end things between us, all I wanted at the time, all I was looking for, was a bit of company and support. Someone I could talk to about what troubled me the most and the idea of a proposal back then was certainly was really disturbing me."

"Then perhaps you should tell all that to Katara" said Lee.

Zuko shook his head, feeling crestfallen and stupid.

"Too late, it's been almost six months since we were last together, I think she got over me a long time ago"

_And she's with Aang _

The shame and jealousy coursed through him at the thought of those two together alone in that corridor. Zuko doubted if he would ever get over it. Lee shrugged, and sat down, Zuko's slackened posture was a sign that he was safe.

"Maybe," he conceded. "But shouldn't stop you from getting the closure you need."

"Closure?" repeated Zuko, confused.

"You know, when you have that little talk where you talk about 'How did this end?' and 'How do we move on?' "

Zuko thought of Katara and couldn't imagine having a more awkward conversation in his life.

"Who would want to have that kind of talk?"

Lee rolled his eyes. "People who need it, duh!"

Zuko sighed as he collapsed onto the couch, his head was still throbbing but he barely felt the pain, he was too caught up in his situation with Katara. "And to think I asked her to come with me to negotiate with the Yu Yan." he groaned.

"Yeah, that's another thing I wanted to talk about" said Lee. "You said, that she broke up with you because _apparently _dating you wasn't in her best interests, where the heck did you get that impression?"

"I..."

Truth be told, Zuko was not sure what had made him say that for he knew that Katara never thought like that, she was the most selfless person he knew and it was one of the many reasons why he loved her.

"I'll tell you why," said Lee, in a tone that told Zuko that he was extremely amused by the situation. "Because in your head, it's easier to think that she dumped you for reasons that had nothing to do with you. When you're on the receiving side of a rejection, it's easy to believe that the girl dumped you because she was mean, cruel and conniving rather than admitting that the break up was indirectly you're own fault."

"_Wait_" hissed Zuko, feeling completely. "Are you saying that Katara breaking up with me is _my _fault"

Lee nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."

"But-"

Zuko got to his feet and began to pace around, he suddenly felt like the biggest fool in the world, what Lee said, made a lot of sense. He had unintentionally pushed Katara away with his ramblings and for nearly six months he was sitting around, moping about his relationship when he had never realized that he had been in the wrong. Was Zuko expecting too much of Katara? Did he have a right to burden her with what should have been his problems? Or did Katara have her own concerns but felt obligated to keep quite while Zuko had been rambling about his own? Zuko collapsed onto the couch that he had been sitting on moments ago.

"I'm such an idiot!" he snapped, pulling at his hair in frustration.

"Way ahead of you, my prince." said Lee.

Zuko ignored the jest and turned towards the older man.

"What should I do?" he asked.

"Talk to her" said Lee, at once. "Make sure that she understands, you two are going to have to be on the same page when dealing with the Yu Yan the last thing we need is you two having problems"

Zuko nodded.

"Talk to her, talk to Katara... but what do I say?"

Lee sighed. "Improvise" he said.

"But-"

Zuko was abruptly cut of by the sound of the door opening. Katara walked into the room with a big smile on her face.

"Hey, guys!" she said. "What are you talking about?"

"Politics" said Lee, at once.

"Fire Nation" added Zuko, rather lamely.

"Politics in the Fire Nation"

"Fire Politics"

Katara laughed, throwing her head back as she did so.

"Okay, okay, I get it."

Zuko couldn't help but stare at her, she seemed incredibly happy about something.

_Did she just talk with Aang? _thought Zuko. _Are they back together? But wait, didn't she just say that she was going to break up with him? But who smiles over a break up? What if they are back together? _

"Zuko, what happened to your head?" said Katara, breaking through his thoughts.

"I-"

"Fell" said Lee, at once. "He fell"

Zuko glared at the man around Katara, who was struggling to suppress a snigger. But Katara didn't seem to think too much about this, she merely pulled the water out of her pouch.

"Hold still" she ordered gently.

Zuko soon felt the soothing relief wash over him and he sighed in content.

"Thanks, Katara" he sighed.

Behind the waterbender, Lee began to make gagging noises, Zuko scowled at him.

"You know, Lee" said Zuko, in a loud voice. "I believe we had an agreement."

Katara looked between both young men.

"An agreement?" said Lee, sounding nervous.

"Yes, an agreement," said Zuko, in a tone of pure relish. "And I believe it's Lee's turn to cash in on his end of the bargain."

Lee gave Zuko a _I'm not having this conversation with her in the room l_ook.

"If you guys want me to leave..." said Katara, uncertainly, who had finished healing Zuko.

"No, I'll leave" said Lee, taking the first chance he got to leave the couple alone. Zuko glared at the man.

"Relax, I'll uphold my end of the agreement another time." reassured Lee, as he hastened towards the door.

Zuko watched his lieutenant leave with a slight scowl on his face. As soon as the door clicked to a close, Katara rounded on him.

"So, what were you guys talking about?"

Katara's eyes were wide with curiosity.

"Ah..."

_There's no way I'm telling her about what I just told Lee _thought Zuko.

"It's...complicated" Zuko concluded truthfully.

"And you're not going to tell me?" asked Katara, with a pout.

Zuko immediately looked away.

_She's giving me that look! Quick, Zuko, say something before you give in. _

"I mean... it's a guy thing"

The words sounded so foreign to his mouth and even _he _was taken aback by what he had said. Katara fell into a fit of laughter that she tried to suppress (rather poorly) with her hand.

"What?" said Zuko, knowing exactly why she was laughing.

"It's a _guy thing_." said Katara, with a huge smile on her face.

Zuko couldn't explain it but there was something different about the Katara who had walked back through the door, there was a light in her eyes that had been missing until now.

_Did something happen between her and Aang? _

_"_Guy thing!" gasped Katara, amidst her laughing. "Since when did you say things like, _guy thing_?"

"Uh..."

"I can imagine Sokka saying that but _you_."

"What's wrong with me saying that?" scowled Zuko, feeling slightly offended.

True, he normally didn't use such words but there was no need for Katara to be so hysterical about it. But Katara didn't respond, she just kept laughing, clutching her ribs as she did so. Before he knew it, Zuko found himself laughing for no reason at all.

* * *

"Katara can I talk to you?"

Katara felt a sense of dread lay claim to her heart and she resisted the urge to clutch her chest in. There was something different about Aang, she noted, his jaw was stiff and he was frowning ever so slightly, Katara knew that look, it was his look of resolve, whatever he wanted to talk about, he was going to talk about it one way or the other. The waterbender nodded and placed the book she had been reading on the table and resisting the urge to glance at Zuko, joined Aang at the door. Katara walked past him, feeling rather nervous, Aang was never one to initiate a conversation, it was always she who wanted to have the 'talks'. Aang closed the door and nodded at the corridor ahead of him.

"This way" he said. "I'd rather not have Zuko and Lee overhear us"

Aang walked ahead, not waiting for an answer, as if expecting Katara to heed his words.

_What's with him? _She thought, studying his posture, _Why is he so stiff? _

The two of them walked down the corridor, the moonlight illuminating the plush carpet and the two people walking along. At the end of the corridor, Aang turned around and looked at her, under the influence of Yue's light, he seemed to be a lot older than his fourteen years.

"Katara, there's something I want to talk to you about" he said, "It's well... something that two of us have both neglected for a while, a _long _time to be exact"

_Us _thought Katara, at once, _He wants to talk about us. _

"It's our relationship, or if you can call it that"

Katara nodded.

"Nothing has been going right" she asserted.

Aang nodded.

"We haven't been ourselves" he added. "What I did to that bangle Zuko gave you? I was angry and jealous and I wasn't being myself"

"I wasn't being myself either when I yelled at you" conceded Katara.

"I'm starting to see the truth, Katara" said Aang, and the waterbender could tell that these honest words were taking a lot of effort to say..

"What do you mean?"

_Since when did he become so blunt? _Thought Katara.

"I'm starting to see that... you and I... we're just not working"

Katara's eyes widened in surprise at those words, for a moment she forgot how to speak and she just stood there, not sure how to react. For a moment, the waterbender was hit the urge to wrap her arms around Aang and deny everything he had said. Another part of her wanted to melt into the floor and die.

"And more than that" continued Aang. "If we continue like this, it could destroy our friendship"

For the longest time, she had been convinced that_ she _would be the one who had to give the talk but it turned out to be the other way around.

"We're just not working, Katara" continued Aang. "And I think it's better for both you and me that if we stop being in this... relationship, I don't want to lose your friendship, Katara. It means so much to me."

Despite the words Aang was saying, Katara couldn't help but feel maternal pride at how brave Aang was being. It was a rather odd feeling, seeing as she was _breaking up _with him but perhaps that maternal feeling of hers, was the very reason why they should break up. Katara nodded.

"Truth be told, I've been feeling the same way" she admitted. "Friendship is very important to me too, Aang and I don't want to lose it... and besides... truth be told, I never had those sort of feelings for you."

"What sort of feeling?" said Aang, curiously.

Katara opened her mouth and then closed it, she did not want to give any clue about her relationship with Zuko.

"What sort of feeling, Katara?" persisted Aang, and his innocent expression persuaded her.

"Like... the way your heart jumps every time you see that person as if your heart and soul is so happy to see that person, when that person is sad you want to hug him and protect him from all the danger in the world, when he's happy you can't help but feel happy as well... that person helps you float amongst the clouds and.."

"Oh..."

The unexpected sound came from Aang himself.

"Aang?"

"What?" gasped the Avatar, he looked slightly alarmed, if not surprised.

"Something wrong?" asked Katara, intently.

Aang shook his head.

"No, it's nothing," he said with a small laugh. "So...um... just friends?"

Aang held out his hand with a hopeful smile on his face. Katara smiled at him and shook it.

"Just friends."

They stood their in silence as if the weight of what they had just done had collapsed on them. Katara tried her best to process what had just happened, she had pictured this situation in her head for days, but it had turned out extremely different from what she had first envisioned, first, she thought she would have to be the one to initiate the conversation, and that she would have to say the words that would hurt someone who was so dear to her, leaving Aang crying on the ground. But reality had played out differently, instead, Aang was the one who initiated the talk, Aang was the one who said the words that ended their relationship, but more importantly the breakup did not leave her with a sense of desolation and self-loathing. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted of her shoulders, the murky area at the back of her mind that had been clouded by her thoughts now lifted with her new found freedom and she resisted the urge to sigh in content.

_I've underestimated you, Aang _she thought. _I never thought he would be so mature._

Aang smiled.

"I guess that means we wouldn't be riding the Elephant Koi any time soon, huh?"

Then suddenly, unexpectedly, simultaneously, they laughed, suddenly the weight didn't seem so heavy and with every second she laughed, the weight grew lighter until she could feel nothing at all. When the two of them finally stopped laughing, Katara looked at Aang with a warm smile.

"So"

"So"

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Aang shook his head. "Me and Toph are leaving at the crack of dawn. The sooner we get started the better."

Katara raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Somehow I don't think Toph and 'crack of dawn' can ever go in the same sentence." she said.

Aang chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Traveling alone with Toph has taught me how to deal with her... especially in the morning"

"Well then" said Katara, surprised at Aang's words. "Have a good night, Mister I-can-get-Toph-to-wake-up-at-the-crack-of-dawn"

Aang laughed. "Good night, Katara."

With those words, Aang turned away and began to walk down the hallway towards his room.

Katara sighed, as she turned around and began to make her way towards the room where Zuko and Lee were.


	25. In the Darkness of the Night

_A/N: Sorry for the delay guys, hope you can forgive me. I'm really looking forward to what you guys might think about this chapter, which is why I'm rushing through this A/N. Don't hesitant to post your thoughts! _

* * *

**_Chapter 24 – In the Darkness of the Night._**

To assume that a journey with a haughty noble woman, a suspicious waterbender and sarcastic lieutenant who clearly did not like his disposition would go smoothly was to be optimistic to the point of foolishness. Yet time had been pressing on them, forcing Zuko to make decisions that would have had awkward repercussions for all of them. The original plan had been for Zuko and Katara start on their journey towards Niu Chengshi, from where they would take a boat to the Yu Yan Islands, Lee and Mai would follow them towards the small city but Iroh had stated that every hour delayed was an hour gained for the T'ien Ti and so for the sake of time, Zuko was forced to put together a group with the most awkward relationship and head towards the city. It was only a day's journey from Shu Jing to Niu Chengshi but with prevalent tensions, it seemed to have been much longer. Zuko was particularly haggard by Mai's aloof attitude and Katara's persistent mistrust. Mai remained as silent and gloomy as ever, gentle questioning by Zuko only made her turn away, with the kind of regal dignity that Zuko had come to respect, but nonetheless hated.

_I'm here because your uncle can trust me _she had said. _And I'm no longer any under obligation to answer your questions, prince or not_.

Had it not been for months of meditation, Zuko would have burnt her for her arrogance. This gloomy, aloof attitude was nothing new to Zuko, what _was _new was the epiphany that he could not love or hold any romantic feeling for someone who insisted on keeping up walls that prevented her from getting close to anyone. Zuko knew that Mai had a heart that could love with a fierce passion but he rarely saw that side of her unless she was pushed to express any semblance of feeling. The prince was more than aware of her stiff up bringing but he had thought that after months (nearly two years) of interaction, Mai would have had somehow learned a thing or two, but her stubborn attitude proved otherwise.

Zuko frown in contemplation as he began to pack up supplies. Perhaps that was one of the many reasons why he liked Katara, he realized. The waterbender knew when to control her emotions but she was not afraid to express them when the time came. Katara always told him what was on her mind, whether she was angry or happy, she never hesitated to let Zuko know. It was something that terrified and amazed Zuko, that a woman could be as sweet and sensitive as the tiger lilies that floated in the pond but could be as fierce as the storm that had stirred oceans and wrecked ships. The prince sighed in exasperation as something else occurred to him. Katara was still mistrustful of Mai, Zuko could not honestly blame her for her suspicion, but for the sake of peace, choose not to say anything to her or acknowledge her suspicion. The prince knew that a confrontation between Mai and Katara would culminate in a fight that would render him powerless and he did not want that. As if trying to keep Katara and Mai from killing one another wasn't enough for him, there was also the issue of Xiu Lee.

The Lieutenant's exuberant attitude was something that had once exasperated Zuko, but with time he had come to accept it and had come to appreciate crude, sarcastic humor. But ever since they had left for Niu Chengshi, Lee had been moody, quiet and contemplative, not the sort of person he would be, even when on a mission. Zuko was worried about Lee, for he had come to see him as a close friend rather than a loyal subordinate. Zuko did not know much about Lee's personal history, other than the fact that he had served briefly in the army and that he was Jeong Jeong's nephew through adoption, but it did not stop Zuko from trusting the man with his life.

"So...shuriken knives huh? Who trained you?"

"No one"

The conversation was enough to break Zuko's reverie and look up from his position next to the campfire. Lee was sitting on the ground, his legs folded and was looking up at Mai who was sitting with delicate poise on a wooden bench, that Zuko and Lee had crafted for her.

"You had to have learned from somewhere?"

"I taught myself"

"No way..."

Mai yawned. "I'm tired"

"_You're _tired? I'm the one whose stuck with you"

Mai glared at her companion.

"For you information, Lieutenant" she snapped. "The only reason I have not stuck these knives in your back while you're sleeping is because the Fire Lord needs you to perform a mission, but mark my words Lieutenant, my patience wears thin"

Lee opened his mouth, no doubt to unleash a hostile retort and Zuko felt that it was time to intervene.

"Enough!" he called out, getting up and walking over to the two of them, both young people acknowledged him with a brief look as he approached, Lee's eyes betrayed his apprehension while Mai's remained as stoic as ever.

"You two are on an important mission for the Fire Lord, can you at least _try _to get along?"

Zuko shot Lee a piercing glare that expressed his disappointment, the firebender shrank away but Mai glared back with a stubborn gleam in her eyes.

"I still don't see why we have to travel like commoners" she said.

"We're traveling like this so that we don't attract suspicion" said Zuko, wondering if this was the thousandth time he had said these words.

"Yeah" said Lee, and his interference made Zuko cringe. "We would have a bit of trouble doing a stealth mission if we paraded in a white palanquin, with announcer yelling '_Make way for Mai of the House of Yangchin_"

Mai regarded Lee with a look that would have rivaled a mask.

"Your wit is dryer than a mirage in a desert, Lieutenant" she commented. "The Fire Nation army must be lacking men with brains for the likes of _you _to attain such a high position"

Mai did not wait for a response but turned and walked away, Lee could only stare at her with a gaping wide open mouth. Zuko glared at his Lieutenant and friend with a look of annoyance and exasperation.

"Why do you keep insisting on annoying her?" he asked.

Lee raised an eyebrow.

"Who says I was annoying her?" he said. "I'm trying to find a reason to trust the partner who your uncle so liberally forced upon me"

Zuko sighed in exasperation, he knew that his uncle's name was bound to come into a conversation sooner or later.

_Uncle, what in Agni's name were you thinking when you put them together?_

There's no one in whom Zuko invested more unconditional trust then in Iroh, but now the young prince had to wonder whether the old dragon was beginning to lose it.

"Do you have any idea how you're going to persuade the Yu Yan?" asked Lee.

Zuko shook his head, to clear his mind of his own thoughts.

"Not exactly" he said. "But I'm not too worried, I have Katara with me"

Lee could only stare at his prince in amazement.

"You have so much faith in that girl, don't you?"

Zuko couldn't help the smile growing on his face. The very mention of Katara seemed to have sparked the rise of the sun within him. A warm sensation flooded his insides and for the first time since he left the castle. He felt like he was at peace.

"The look on your face tells the story" said Lee.

Zuko decided that it was time to move away from the subject before it got too awkward.

"Don't worry about me" he dismissed. "What I am concerned is about is _you_"

"Me?"

Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but he suddenly found his mind blank. All the words that he had planned to say vanished from his mind as he became aware of the fact that Lee was about to fight the T'ien Ti all by himself with a woman he barely knew or trusted. Zuko felt nervous, as he clenched his fist, if he was to get injured, he knew that Katara would be there to save him, who would be there to save Lee when _he _got injured? Zuko glanced at his friend and realized for the first time how much he would miss his company, when they had first met two years ago, Lee seemed to be a cruder, ruder version of Sokka, one he could never feel comfortable with. But they had grown accustomed to one another's company over the years and now, Zuko was not certain if Lee was going to come back, and the thought scared him. Somehow words such '_Be careful' _or '_Watch out' _no longer seemed appropriate, but there was no way he was going to say '_I'm going to miss you' _or anything ridiculously sentimental.

"There's one thing I want to say before we part ways, Lee" said Zuko.

"What is it, my prince?" said Lee.

The prince paused for words, trying to search for the sentence that would somehow express his thoughts.

"Come back alive" he said. "I would hate to lose my best Lieutenant"

The prince immediately winced at the words, _best lieutenant? _He could already hear Katara's voice in his head, scolding him for not expressing enough emotion. Lee paused for a second before replying, and Zuko knew without have to look at him that he was smirking.

"Understood, sir"

Zuko nodded in relief. "Good, I'll expect you to behave around the Lady Mai"

"She ain't my type, prince" said Lee. "So don't worry"

"When will you be leaving?"

"Dawn, tomorrow" said Lee. "We will have a better chance of entering the city undetected during the morning rush"

Zuko turned to face his friend and Lee did likewise, , the prince realized that they were of the same height, even though Lee was two years, his senior.

"Take care, Lee, do a good job"

"Where you expecting anything less?" asked Lee, with a small wink.

Zuko smiled back at him.

"Of course not"

Lee bowed to his prince, giving him the Fire Nation salute, Zuko smiled and reciprocated.

_Come back, Lee _thought Zuko. _I would hate to lose you, and not just because you're my best lieutenant._

Lee nodded and then did something unexpected. The lieutenant took a step forward and did something that was completely unexpected. Lee gave Zuko tight hug, embracing him around his shoulders. Zuko stood where he was, surprised by Lee's actions

"Keep safe, prince" he said. "Keep safe"

Before Zuko could move or reciprocate in anyway Lee had broken the hug and was already walking away. The prince could only stare in surprise and shock, Lee was never one to hug people, unless they were women.

_Keep safe, prince._

"You too"

"Hey"

Zuko jumped as he turned around. The Blue Spirit was seldom caught off guard but Katara had a knack for making his heart jump out of his chest, even when he knew she was coming.

"Hi" he said, resisting the impulse to massage his chest.

"I just saw Lee chasing after Mai" said Katara, walking up to him. "Does he really think that's a good idea?"

The prince sighed.

"Apparently, he has no choice"

"Speaking of your friend" said Katara. "He seemed to be out of it"

Zuko frowned in contemplation.

"I noticed" he said. "But it's just the mission, and his partner but I'm sure Mai and Lee will work together when the time comes"

"Oh" said Katara, "Was that what you and Lee were talking about, just now?"

"Yeah"

"And?"

Zuko glanced at Katara, the waterbender was staring at him her blue eyes wide and round in question. Zuko smiled at her before turning to look at the green hills ahead of her, he would bait her for a bit.

"And what?"

"And… you know, did you guys exchange goodbyes or anything like that?"

"Sort of" said Zuko.

"Lee, gave his report and departed"

Zuko did not need to hear Katara's gasp to know that she was shocked.

"_That's it?_"

"Yep"

Before Katara could open her mouth again, Zuko cut her off again.

"Katara, I don't know what else to say, Lee's my friend but he's also my officer, there are lines you don't cross"

"Tell that to the guy who just gave you a manly hug"

Zuko felt his face flush with embarrassment,

"You- you saw that?" The look on Katara's face was more than enough to make him blush even more.

"Of course I did. Don't worry, Zuko I think it's sweet that you can hug your friends like that" said Katara, with a little twinkle in her eye.

"I didn't hug him!" snapped Zuko, feeling a bit defensive. "He came onto me!"

His words instead of mortifying Katara, made her laugh even harder.

"Just admit it Zuko!" she gasped. "You like him more than you want to admit"

Zuko froze mid-sentence.

_She's got you there, princey boy. _

"I…. Trust him" admitted Zuko. "He's been loyal to me ever since he started working for me"

"When?"

"Almost immediately after the war" explained Zuko. "Uncle found him when he was a palace guard and promoted him to head of the guard and eventually Lieutenant of my Dragon Regiment"

Katara nodded and Zuko knew that she had accepted the little information that she got and was not expecting anything else from him, but he wanted to continue.

"We didn't get along at first" admitted Zuko, Katara rounded on him, surprised that he was talking more than that was expected of him. "I admit, didn't like him, he was sarcastic, rude and well…. I just didn't trust him"

"He sounds like Sokka" noted Katara and the prince chuckled in agreement.

"Our country was in tatters after the war, and I set out with a plan to rebuild it. Lee was there, he had to be because he was my Lieutenant, over the months we were together, we just… bonded"

Katara raised her eyebrow in coy manner.

"Sounds like he made you his friend rather easily" she said.

Zuko smirked. "Under hard circumstances"

The two of them chuckled to one another before drifting off into uncomfortable silence. Zuko knew that the moment had come, the moment that they had been putting off for a while.

"Zuko, about our mission" said Katara. "Do you think everything will go alright?"

Zuko merely shook his head.

"I'm not worried in the slightest" he said. "I know the stakes are high, but I think you and I can persuade the Yu Yan to hold off their want of independence, until we've dealt with the T'ien Ti"

Katara sighed and stared off into the distance.

"I hope your right" she whispered. "Because my instincts tell me that something bad is going to happen"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You're starting to sound like your brother"

* * *

Aang couldn't have picked a better day to travel, despite his apprehensions and misgivings regarding the Avatar State, the airbender couldn't help but notice the beautiful nature of his surroundings. The air was crisp and fresh, his surroundings made up of tranquil greenery that could be seen for miles. There was an air of serenity and calm that seemed to have dampened the anxiety that he felt. It was this feeling of tranquillity that reminded Aang of his old life in the Southern Air Temple, and all his apprehensions about the Avatar State gradually faded with each step he took. Unfortunately, his companion did not share his appreciation for sight seeing due to her disability.

"Why are these roads empty?" asked Toph. "I can't sense _anyone_ on them"

Aang frowned as he rapt his brain for an answer, "General Iroh said that nobody would be too eager to travel up North given what had happened a week ago" he said, remembering the old man's words.

"_That means, my dear Avatar _said Iroh. _You will be all alone with a certain Miss Bei Fong"_

His words were followed by a suggestive wink, making Aang wonder what the heck he was talking about. As Aang walked on, he noticed a series of interloping hills, no further than a couple of kilometres from where he stood. The airbender immediately consulted a map that Iroh had given him. The map was highly detailed, highlighting every valley, river and mountain dotted throughout the diverse landscape.

"According to the map. There should be a town over those hills" he said pointing at the nearby hills. "Toph can you sense a town beyond those hills?"

"Let me check"

Both of them stopped walking, as the earthbender stomped her feet deep into the ground. While Toph frowned in concentration Aang was hit with the sudden impulse to give her an eye over. Almost, but not entirely against his will, Aang let his eyes roll over Toph's pale face that denoted soft, gentle features. Aang had never looked at Toph properly, perhaps his mind was full of Katara or because Toph had just been too rough around the edges to be noticed in such a manner, but for the first time in his life, Aang found Toph to be _attractive._

"I'm picking up a couple of hundred houses amongst those hills" said Toph, pointing ahead of them. "It's probably a town or something" Aang shook his head, trying to keep his mind focused on the task at hand.

"What about the coast?" he said. "Anything that can tell us that we're near the ocean?"

Aang found himself watching Toph, her pale, almost delicate features refined into a delicate frown.

_She's almost... cute, wait! Did I just think that? About Toph? What's wrong with me? _

"Your heartbeat's picking up" said Toph, at once. "What's up, Twinkles?"

"Uhh, nothing, nothing at all"

Aang knew that his thinly veiled lie would not work and it didn't. Toph frowned at him.

"Quit, _lying_" she snapped, anger written all over her face. "Honestly, Twinkle Toes, do you have to be pushed between a rock and a hard place before you tell me the truth?"

"Um..."

"This is different, Toph" he said honestly.

_If I tell you the truth you'll kill me! _

"I was thinking about..."

"Sweetness, huh?"

_Yeah, __wait, what! _

"I..."

"Yep, I can tell" said Toph. "Your heart's going way fast, the way it usually does when you're around her"

Toph's statement rather than soothing him, left him even more confused.

_Why would she think that I'm thinking about Katara? But I was thinking about her! _

"Hey, Twinkles!" called Toph. "What's with the hold up! Let's go!"

"Oh?"

He had been so preoccupied with his thoughts that he had not noticed Toph had started walking again and was already a few meters ahead of him.

_Why did she just walk away like that? _

Aang's taller build enabled him to cover the distance between him in quick time and Toph immediately opened the conversation between them.

"So what was it like breaking up with Sweetness, was it difficult?"

Aang paused to assess his thoughts, knowing that Toph could easily detect a lie.

"It was kind of hard at first" said Aang, honestly. "It was always going to be, I mean, I've loved Katara from the moment I came out of the iceberg, she's the first girl I've had feelings for... but then... the more I thought about it, the more it felt... liberating"

"Liberating?" said Toph.

"Yeah" said Aang, he himself did not realize this until this moment. "Yeah, I mean, Katara and I were in a really bad place in our relationship and I guess it was just too hard to fix and the more I thought about it the more I realized that it just wasn't going to work"

When Aang finished his story, Toph had a soft smile on her face.

"Wow, TT" she said. "For once, you didn't back away when things were rough. Real proud of you"

Before Aang could say anything, he felt Toph's fist collide with his arm. The Avatar didn't say anything, he didn't gasp in pain, he merely flinched.

"One of these days, Toph, you're going to end up breaking my arm" said Aang.

"Well look on the bright side" said Toph, with a snide smile. "At least you'll know how much I love you,"

For some reason, the words tugged at his heartstrings and he couldn't help but smile at those choice words. If Toph noticed the change in Aang's heartbeat, she chose ignore it.

Zuo Zuo was a small but pleasant town situated along the steep coastline of the Fire Nation's main island. Many of the town's scarlet, low-thatched roofs overlooked the brilliant blue ocean, narrow but tall buildings dotted the coast, some of them situated along impossibly steep terrain and the green pastures above it. Long steep roads wound their way up the coast forcing their way through the buildings, like snakes circling around it's prey. It's unique location, along with it's pleasant residents made it the ideal vacation spot for the lower gentry and government administrators who could not afford the lavish expenses of Ember Island.

"Wow" muttered Toph, digging her toes into the ground. "I never thought people would practically live on the _edge _of an island"

Aang stared down at the city with a sorrowful look on his face.

"What's up?"

The airbender shook his head.

"Nothing" he admitted. "It's just that this town reminds me of the Air Temples"

The last thing that Aang wanted to do was to reminisce about his people. Even now, more than a hundred years after their disappearance, Aang still left the pain of being the lone survivor.

"Come on" said Aang, starting to walk down the path towards the town. "We need to meet up with Iroh's White Lotus guy"

Iroh had arranged for somebody from the Order of the White Lotus to take Aang and Toph across the ocean towards the island where the Dragon Pagodas was located. The Fire Lord had advised Aang and Toph not to reveal their abilities unless circumstances left them no choice.

"I still don't get why we have to cross the ocean by _boat_, when we can just bend our way there" muttered a disgruntled Toph, as they approached the entrance to the town.

"Iroh doesn't want the T'ien Ti to know that the Avatar is here" said Aang. "He has the impression that not only will they not listen to me but they might go all out to kill me"

"That sucks"

"No need to tell me"

Entering the town was not a problem, the two young people walked under the overhead arch that supported a massive sign denoting the name of the settlement. The relatively narrow streets were crammed with people, many of them returning home after a long day's worth of hard work. Acting on instinct, Aang grabbed Toph's hand and pulled her close.

"Stay close to me" he whispered.

If Toph was surprised, she did not show it, she merely followed the older boy, playing the part of the helpless, young blind girl being lead forward by a very protective friend. Aang made his way through the crowd, trying to recall Iroh's instructions.

_Seek out a pub _he had told him _Look for the man playing pai sho. _

Aang had been so caught up in his thoughts that he accidentally bumped into someone.

"Sorry" he amended, rubbing his shoulder.

"That's okay" called the person. "Just be more careful"

"Will do"

"Where are we going?" said Toph, an uneasy look on her face. "All this claustrophobia is making me queasy"

Aang looked around the buildings.

"We... more like _I'm _supposed to find this place called the _Dancing Phoenix" _he said.

Aang gazed around at the buildings in dismay, he had no idea where this place was supposed to be. Aang had assumed that Zuo Zuo was like a village and it had not occurred to him to ask Iroh for a map of the town.

"Perhaps I should just ask someone-"

"Oh yeah, sure that would be a delightful conversation" snapped Toph. "_Excuse me, can you please guide us to a bar where me and my under age friend have to meet a pai sho-playing man from a secret order?" _

Aang sighed in annoyance. Aang glanced at the setting sun and knew that dusk was only a couple of hours away.

"I suppose you have a point" he stated, choosing to ignore her sarcasm. "But how are we supposed to find this place, anyway?"

To his surprise, Toph winked at him with a roguish smile on her face.

"That Twinkles" she said. "Is why you've got me"

* * *

Niu Chengshi was one of several settlements of it's size, to large to be called a town and too small to be called a city. In the backdrop of the setting sun, the small city made an impressive sight with it's red thatched roofs. From her view on the hill, Katara could see several tall buildings with the Fire Nation flag fluttering in the breeze. Katara knew that these places were famous for it's schools that produced a bulk of the Fire Nation's administrators and commanders.

Like much of the country, Niu Chengshi had fallen on hard times after the end of the War, it's once highly valued education system had declined in importance as the Fire Nation no longer needed so many commanders and administrators.

"You know" said Zuko, breaking the silence. "This was where Zhao received his education"

Katara frowned in confusion before turning to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Is there a reason we're talking about a man who has been dead for nearly three years?"

Zuko smiled at her.

"Not really" he admitted. "But he became really popular here when he led the attack on the Northern Water Tribe"

Katara glanced at the town and at Zuko, her mind beginning to comprehend what Zuko was trying to say.

"If Toph had been here she would have told you to spit out what it is that you're trying to say" she said. "But I think understand"

The prince rewarded her with yet another smile.

"You were always able to understand me"

A tense silence followed these words as Katara stiffened. The sentiments had come out of nowhere and the sheer honesty behind the words had the waterbender on edge, tension over Mai's gloomy presence had driven out any awkwardness between Zuko and Katara but now that the noblewoman had departed along with Lee, the tension had returned in all it's intensity to the point where a simple sentence could bring old feelings rushing back in full swing.  
Katara was not ready to address their complex relationship, she had ended her relationship with Aang on good terms and that was more than she could hope for. But the waterbender was painfully aware of the fact that things between her and Zuko was far more complicated, hidden feelings that could ignite with a single trod, murky waters that they could easily drown in, huge stone walls that needed to be broken down. Katara new that they had to talk but this was not the time or place. "Lee and Mai should be in there" said Katara, determined not to stray into uncomfortable waters.

"If they haven't already killed each other" said Zuko.

Katara cast him a disdainful look.

"It was a joke, Katara"

"Well, you have to work on your sense of humour my prince" said the waterbender. "It's disturbingly dry"

Zuko smiled at her, for a prince about to embark on a serious diplomatic journey, he seemed to be smiling a lot.

"I'll do my best"

Katara smiled at him before turning to look at Niu Chengshi which seemed to have expanded to a mighty fortress. The two of them just stood there, staring at the large town lost in their own thoughts, both of them that they were going on an extremely important diplomatic mission that was made even more complicated by their unspoken feelings. Katara knew that they were going down a path that would take them to a completely different place.

"Are you ready?"

The question had come from Zuko and from the look on his face, Katara could tell that he was steeling himself. The waterbender nodded, determined to match him step for step.

"Let's go"

Katara had barely taken a step forward when Zuko called out to her again.

"Katara, wait"

The waterbender turned around and was shocked to find the prince's face inches from hers. For a moment, Kaara was strongly reminded of their days together, before she forcibly brought herself back to the present.

"Zuko, what-"

The rest of her question was muffled by Zuko, as he pressed his lips against her own. The kiss was sweet and gentle. For a moment, Katara found herself enamoured by sensations she had not felt in such a long time. Without thinking about her actions, she melted into the kiss. Katara placed a hand on the back of Zuko's head and pulled him even closer, deepening their kiss. A warm sensation began to build up in the pit of a stomach. Katara found herself swimming in a pool of intense emotions and delightful sensations and she allowed herself to drown in them. Joy, ecstasy, pleasure, every possible delightful emotion a person could feel was dancing inside her, allowing no room for rational thought. It was like the time she travelled on Appa, flying in the sky with the ground far beneath her and nothing but the wind and the thin whispers of water vapour telling her that she was alive. Then just as abruptly as it started, it ended. Her lips suddenly turned cold as Zuko broke the kiss and she opened her eyes as Zuko backed away. Katara stared up at the prince in shock, unable to process what had just happened.

"Zuko" she gasped. "What-"

"I'm sorry Katara" he said, breathlessly. "Let's go"

Before Katara could even open her mouth to voice a protest, Zuko was already on his way, leaping down the hill in bounds and leaps. Katara sighed and shook her head.

"Katara, you fool" she berated herself.

Passing through the city gates was a relatively simple task. Zuko presented the guards with forged documents and mumbled an ambiguous purpose about visiting friends. The streets were quiet save for a few pubs that were filled with student, looking for recreation. Katara pulled her hood over her head, an impulse born out of years of travel. The waterbender waited till they were out of earshot of the guards, before speaking.

"That was easy" she muttered, thoughts of the kiss still lingering on her mind.

Beside her, Zuko mumbled a reply.

"Crime rates are relatively low, compared to other places" he said. "And people only come here for education, or to visit people who are in a school"

Katara frowned in thought, as something else had occurred to her.

"If that's the case, why would Lee and Mai want to enter at dawn?"

Zuko turned to give her a look that said '_You did not just say that?'_

"Because Mai can be easily recognized" he said, as a matter-of-factly. Katara was not buying it.

"Did Lee say that was their reason?"

Katara watched Zuko for a reply, but he merely looked the other way.

"We need to go towards the coast" replied Zuko. "I know the way, follow me"

Katara frowned at the way she ignored his question, but nonetheless, nodded trusting Zuko's judgement and knowledge of the town.

The two of them walked down a bustling street before taking a turn onto a side road. Quickly and silently, the two of them crept down the little alleyway. They had barely turned the corner of a street when Katara felt it, a prickling sensation at the back of her neck. An uneasy feeling that spread her body like a bad aliment, the waterbender suddenly felt restless and was hit with the urge to turn around and look behind her, Zuko's firm grip around her wrist told her that she was not the only one who felt uneasy.

"We're being followed" he hissed, his tone betraying his anger.

Katara almost yelped in surprise.

"What?" she requested certain that she had misheard.

The prince merely pulled her along.

"Don't look" he warned. "We can still lose them"

"How?"

"Can you conjure a mist?"

Katara raised a hand, feeling the air waft through her fingers.

"We're close to the ocean" she commented. "Not a problem"

"Good, do it"

Katara felt slightly miffed at Zuko's tone, as if he had just issued an order to one of his soldiers, but she decided to ignore it for now, she had far more serious problems to contend with. Katara called out to the water in the air, coaxing it into her fingers through the movement of her wrist. Katara could feel the water in the air, floating in the air, like a thin veil concealing a hidden world from her eyes, she pulled herself free of Zuko's grip and spread out her arms. The prince turned around to glare at her.

"Why did you-?"

Katara phased out the rest of his words.

_So much for ordering me around _she thought.

The waterbender spread her arms wide, feeling the invisible water swirling to her command; she held out her hands and clapped them together. The sound of palms slapping against each other echoed through the air and in an instant a thick, dense fog hung about them, hanging like a heavy veil across Katara's eyes. Somewhere to her left, she heard Zuko's hoarse voice.

"Brilliant"

Katara flicked her wrist and the fog around Zuko's pale face cleared away to reveal a small smile.

"Hurry, while they're distracted"

The prince's hands closed around her wrist and the two took off down the street.

"Your bending has gotten stronger" he whispered.

Katara couldn't help but glow at the compliment.

"Something tells me I'll be seeing how strong _yours _has gotten" she said.

A wry chuckle escaped Zuko's lips but he did not respond. The prince had once again, taken charge, weaving through streets and narrow alleyways with Katara clearing the path ahead for him. Occasionally, Zuko would stop to get his bearings right, requiring Katara to clear an entire street. Niu Chengshi seemed to be a hundred times larger in the fog but Zuko knew what he was doing and where he had to go. With each step she took, Katara could feel the pull of the ocean, like a mother calling out to it's child. Zuko was taking them directly towards the ocean and Katara wondered how they would get to the Yu Yan Islands and whether they had truly shaken off their followers.

"Do you think that the people trying to follow us were the T'ien Ti?"

"I can't imagine it being anybody else" replied Zuko as they took another term. "But how they knew is beyond me"

The statement made Katara a feel a little worried.

"Do you think we were betrayed? That somebody could have told them?"

Zuko did not turn around as he replied.

"At Sozin" he said. "The T'ien Ti knew me and my regiment were coming because somebody from within our government told them. That somebody had also called back the two regiments who were supposed to guard the city with me and my men. But at Shu Jing, it was just us and Lee. I can't imagine anyone in the castle who would betray us to the T'ien Ti"

Katara accepted the explanation but she was not satisfied with it. If the T'ien Ti were tracking them, it could only mean that they had already known that she and Zuko were coming. But in order for them to have known they would have to either infiltrate Piandao's castle or somebody from within their group would have told them. Katara immediately dismissed the possibility of the castle being infiltrated; infiltrating the castle meant fooling Toph's razor sharp senses and Katara doubted if any human could do that. The only other possibility was that they had been betrayed, but Katara knew that nobody within their group would want to betray Zuko in any form.

_That means...  
_

"We're here"

Katara shook herself out of her reverie, Zuko had stopped running and Katara could see why. The fog had grown fainter due to Katara's wane in concentration and she could see that they were now on the outskirts of Niu Chengshi. The fading mist exposed what looked to be a natural bay, similar to the one found in the Earth Kingdom.

For a moment, Katara forgot about her musings and reminisced in the past.

"It's just like Chameleon Bay" she muttered.

"Yeah" agreed Zuko. "Come on, there should be a ship waiting for us"

The two benders approached the steep cliffs, the sound of the waves of crashing upon the rocky shore was like music to Katara's ears, dark waters swirled in the depths of the unforgiving shore, calling out to the bender like an enchantress. Katara couldn't hold back the smile on her face as she scanned the dark horizon. True, to Zuko's word, a ship as large as the one he had commanded in his days of exile was waiting for them just beyond the shoreline.

"Katara, can you get us to that ship?"

The waterbender smiled at her companion.

"That's like asking Sokka if he likes to eat meat"

A brief smile flittered across Zuko's face before his eyes widened in pure panic.

"Katara, watch out!"

Everything happened so fast, that Katara hardly had anytime to react. Katara felt Zuko's warm body against her own, pushing her to the ground. Something small and sharp flew past her ear. The next second, she felt the wind being knocked out of her lungs.

"Stay down!"

As Katara took a deep breath, she felt Zuko's lithe presence leave her. Something had gained Zuko's attention and it didn't take a genius to figure out what it was. Still lying on her back, she could barely make out Zuko, flitting on the edge of her vision, throwing fire blasts and dodging something thrown at him. Katara pushed herself up and summoned a wave of water into her hands.

_The T'ien Ti are here _she thought, it could be the only explanation.

Katara looked up, tall rocky cliffs surrounded them and she could barely make out figures standing amongst these cliffs looking down on them. There didn't seem to be too many men and taking them would not even be an issue. Katara smirked to herself.

_They choose the wrong people to mess with. _

Katara raised her hands with the intention of performing the longest whiplash she had ever done. Before she could even move an intense pain exploded through her head. For a moment, Katara felt that she had been hit by Toph's boulders. It was like a firework going off. The pain was immediate, intense and it did not last long. But it had left her temporarily defenceless. The waterbender had barely regained her senses when she felt someone grab her neck and pin her arms to her side. She struggled against her hold but the person who held her had arms like steel.

"So you're Katara of the Southern Water Tribe"

The voice was close but still faint, because she her head was still ringing from the blow to her head.

"I can see why the prince liked you, stay still and you won't get hurt"

The aching in her head began to subside and she slowly opened her eyes to see what was going on. A pale arm was wrapped around her neck, firm enough to hold her but not tight enough to choke her. Ahead of her, Zuko had stopped fighting and was now looking at her with the person holding him with a look of open horror on his face.

"Sui?"

"Hey, prince long times no see"

It was this name and the tone of familiarity in Zuko's voice that kicked Katara into her senses.

_Sui! Some other girl I didn't know about?_

THe waterbender mentally shook off the pain and tried to assess her situation. Katara glanced at the surrounding cliffs, she could not see men hiding but she knew for a fact that they were there, pointing their weapons at Zuko. Katara glanced at Zuko and saw that his face was a map of fear, confusion and doubt. It was not a look she saw often but it was a look she hatedseeing that look on his face.

"B-but how?" said Zuko. "What happened after Sozin?"

_Sozin? Did he meet some new girl at Sozin? _

Against all rational thought. A fountain of jealousy sprung forth in Katara and begun to gush like hot lava, the fact that this woman had her disarmed only enhanced her dislike for her. As Katara struggled to remain rational, the woman named as Sui began to speak.

"After Sozin, I thought my life would be over" she said. "I had deliberately let you go, I thought that there was no coming back from that"

"You look alive to me" hissed Zuko, the look of confusion had faded away, replaced by a look of pure anger.

"Only thanks to the leader's good graces" said Sui. "He gave me a chance to redeem myself, provided I capture or kill you"

Sui's causal tone set Katara on edge.

_There's no way I'm letting you lay your hands on Zuko! _She thought fiercely.

But Zuko's train of thought was going down a completely different lane.

"It was you who sent those assassins to my palace!" said the prince.

Katara remembered seeing Zuko for the first time in months, sickly and pale, lying on the bed with his ribcage bandaged as if he were dead and she felt a spike of anger at those words.

"And it nearly got the job done" assented Sui. "But I couldn't have done it without a little inside help, that inside help also told me that you were coming"

The deduction that Katara had made merely minutes ago came back to her in full force and her eyes widened in horror and despair.

_No! _She thought. _It can't be! But who else is left? _

Katara glanced at Zuko, hoping to portray her message through looks alone. But from the look on the prince's face, Katara could tell that he too had drawn the same conclusion, but unlike her he, he was not buying it.

"Who was it?" he hissed. "Who told you I would be here tonight?"

"I think you already know, prince" said Sui, who had not released her grip on Katara. "I was given a very difficult task, to capture or kill the prince. It was a difficult task, but the informant had detailed knowledge of the palace walls, passages and guard shifts. With that information, my first attempt had nearly succeeded but thereafter you and your uncle disappeared without a trace and I was lost..."

_Intricate knowledge of the palace walls, passages and guard shifts. Oh by Yue! There's nobody else, it has to be... _

Luckily my informant came to me today saying that you would be here tonight to depart for the Yu Yan Islands... and he was right"

"Who is he!" roared Zuko. "Tell me who this traitor is!"

Despite her uncomfortable situation, Katara felt her heart crack at his words, for she knew, that his heart was desperately trying to deny what his mind was telling him. _I_

_'m so sorry, Zuko. _She thought. _I'm so sorry. _

"WHO IS HE!" roared Zuko, a puff of fire escaping his mouth.

For a split second, Katara feared that the men on the cliff to fire at Zuko, but nothing happened. An eerie silence pervaded Zuko's outburst, and the waterbender felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle.

"It was me"

A voice that Katara was starting to grow fond of but now hated echoed off the cliffs. In the darkness of the night, two new shadows strolled onto the rocky ledge.

"No..."

The gasp had come from Zuko, and Katara couldn't blame him.

"I'm sorry, my prince"

A fire sparked to life, in the hands of one the shadows, illuminating his face for all to see. Katara stared at the man in fury and horror, wondering what sort of man could have done this to his best friend.

Lieutenant Xiu Lee stared directly into the eyes of Prince Zuko. "I am the informant"

Katara was hit with the strong urge to turn away, she couldn't bear to look at Zuko's face, not after hearing this. The waterbender fought the impulse, turning away meant snubbing the prince, and that was the last thing she wanted to do, torn between turning away and not wanting to look away, she decided to direct herself at Lee.

"How could you!" she roared, her voice echoing across the cliff, like the _drums_, the emotion in her voice rolled over the cliffs, like the waves of the ocean not too far fro them. "How could you do this to Zuko? Wasn't he your friend! Your nothing more than a-"

Katara continued to rant, who had not only betrayed her good impression of him but had betrayed Zuko's trust, she did not care that there were at least half a dozen men hiding in the cliffs, waiting for a command to shoot her down and silence her, nor did she heed the stoic woman behind her who continued to endured the rant. All she knew was that a man who she dearly loved, a man who had felt the pain of betrayal was now subject to it's powerful sting yet again, this time in the hands of a man he thought he could trust. Katara continued to yell at him, calling him every obscene word she had ever heard in her sixteen years of existence. When the words had finally left her, when Katara could say no more, Lee did nothing more than acknowledge her with a glance. It was as if the wind had blown with all it's might to the mountain, and the mountain did not bow back.

"Why?" In contrast to Katara, whose tone could have rocked the heavens.

Zuko spoke in a soft voice, one that expressed all his anger, all his disappointment; in a man he had once considered a brother.

"Tell me, why!"

Lee's glance shifted from Katara to Zuko and in the dim light of his fire, Katara could not read his expression.

"I wish I can tell you" said Lee, with a small smile. "I really wish I could"

Zuko narrowed his eyes at him.

"What is _that _supposed to mean?"

There was a flash of movement next to Lee, and before Katara could comprehend what had happened, Zuko was gasping in pain. The waterbender glanced at him and saw that there was a red gash across his cheek and she immediately felt a surge of anger. Mai had thrown a shuriken at him.

"There is no need to have this conversation now" said Mai, her cold detached voice grated on Katara's nerves.

_I knew Iroh, couldn't trust you._

But at the back of her mind, Katara knew that staying here would get them killed.

Mai's actions could trigger a reaction from the men hiding in the cliffs, men who had been waiting in the onslaught of the cold wind and were now losing patience, the blood leaking from Zuko's fresh wound was an indication that he was now vulnerable, encouraging the men to release the weapons that they had been holding back. Katara knew that only she alone could do it, Zuko was far too preoccupied with Mai and Lee, and in any case, the men would be focusing on him. Katara on the other hand, was still being held by the ringleader and no one, would pay much attention to her. Katara knew that the window of opportunity was small, but she had to be swift and decisive or they would be captured or worse killed. Zuko wiped at his cheek aggressively, and Katara couldn't tell whether he was emotionally hurt or just angry.

"Hey!" A deafening voice bellowed into Katara's ear, a voice that spoke of panic. "Back down! Nobody ordered you to attack him!"

It was the ringleader, the one to whom Lee had sold his soul too. Mai surveyed her with a cold glance.

"I don't take orders from a peasant"

"Why you-"

Katara could feel the woman's grip on her collarbone loosen. The waterbender took advantage of this distraction and stomped hard on her foot. The woman named Sui, cried out in alarm and Katara swung herself out of her grip. Before Mai or Lee could turn to face her, Zuko was already on the assault, a firebender with the ferocity of a dragon and the wounded pride of a friend. Katara turned towards the murky waters of the coast; the waves seem to respond to her fury and swelled up the rocky ledge before she could even lift a hand. Red and orange flashed in the corner of her eye followed by a grunt. Zuko and Lee were duelling one another.

_That means..._

Instinct horned through years of combat took over her body. Without thinking about her actions, Katara brought a large wave of water over her head and formed a tall, wide arc over her head that covered her entire body. The water had barely hardened into ice when she heard the sharp, metallic noise of a dagger piercing ice. Seconds later, she heard the low of thud of several arrows hitting her shield. The waterbender glanced behind her, she was merely inches away from the edge of the coast, the ship that had been waiting for them was still hovering off shore, and she was thankful for that. Had it been the full moon, or dawn, Katara would have stayed on to fight, but the weather was against them and she knew that no matter how good she and Zuko were, fighting a group of archers they could barely see in the dark was futile and pointless. Katara only hoped that Zuko would be rational enough to realize this.

"Zuko! We have to go!"

For a moment, she got no response, and Katara gritted her teeth in determination, preparing herself to drag Zuko away if she had to. But then she felt a lithe presence beside her and she turned around to see a pale, scarred face that seemed ablaze with anger.

"Ready when you are"

Katara nodded, she could still hear the dull sounds of arrows hitting the ice and the screams of the woman who had ambushed them, determined to reign control of a situation that had been wrested out of her hands. The waterbender took a deep breath, before turning her head towards the water. Only seconds ago, the water seemed to be black, sloshing about in turmoil but now under it rose up to greet her. Katara raised her hands and flicked her wrist, a block of ice, glaringly white in the black white took shape. It was wide enough for the both her and Zuko to ride in. Katara glanced at her companion and saw the gleam in his fiery eyes. With a single nod, the two of them leapt onto the ice. Katara saw the ice block come up at her and the air rushing through her hair and lungs. Before she could comprehend that she was falling, Katara's feet found solid support. Without a second's hesitation she, stood up straight while Zuko remained crouching. The waterbender begun to swing her arms wildly, right over her head, she could feel her joints moving within her sockets.

The ice block lurched forward and was soon speeding out of the cliff. Ahead of her, Katara could see the small ship, with it's dim yellow lights, she began to head towards the ship, praying to the moon that the T'ien Ti were not there too. Katara felt the wind blowing at her face and the further she got away from the cliff, the more relieved she felt. They had managed to escape a well-laid out ambush but at what cost? Katara refused to look at Zuko, knowing that he needed a few moments to himself, to ponder the tragedy that had just taken place. Katara knew at the back of her mind, that they're situation had just gotten even more complicated. Not only did they have to persuade the Yu Yan to back down, they had to do it with the T'ien Ti behind their backs, led by Zuko's former right-hand man.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the delay guys, but school has practically taken over my life, but rest assured I'm doing all I can to finish this story. _


	26. Towards the Frontline

_A/N: Hey guys, yes, you can throw stuff at me if you want. I fully deserve it, I've been away for a really long time and its all my fault. I was busy at school, I FAILED at time management and this chapter gave me SO MUCH trouble, seriously, there were three or four drafts before I got to this one._

_As with practically all the chapters, this is a LOOONG one, which sort of makes up for my long absence. But wow, twenty-five chapters, there's a good chance I can wrap this story up at around thirty but we will see where it goes... I'm super excited to be back and I promise to give updates more frequently. As with all chapters, I welcome constructive criticism in my reviews. Please don't hesitate to tell me what you like, dislike or just think in general. _

_So without wasting more time let's move on to... CHAPTER 25! (YAY! So excited) _

* * *

_**Chapter 25 - Towards the Frontline  
**_

The castle of Shu Jing was known for it's magnificent corridors and well manicured gardens, presided over by a man, famed for defeating a hundred soldiers in combat and maintained by a dedicated butler. But Piandao's castle had once belonged to a noble and like any other ancient stronghold of the nobility, it held many secrets. For the castle's walls not only bore witness to untold treacheries but concealed dungeons that held documents that told countless secrets of times long passed.

While Zuko was recovering from his injuries, Iroh spent the days digging through the archives that were hidden beneath the castle, trying to find out more about the T'ien Ti. Iroh had made remarkable progress over the past few days but it was nothing compared to the progress he made in the past fourteen hours thanks to Sokka and Suki. The warriors were young and curious, eager to soak up knowledge about a world that existed well before their own time. Of course, the young ones could not read everything that they found, some scrolls were written in languages that had faded away. These scrolls were left to Iroh to decipher, one of the few people alive who could understand ancient languages, after all, one did not become Grand Master of an ancient order of knowledge without acquiring the ability read all of its secrets.

After fourteen hours of relentless reading, researching and head bashing, the three of them now sat down on in the very room that Iroh had announced his grave situation and assigned his comrades their tasks.

Sokka sat opposite Iroh, gazing at the old Fire Lord who was now sipping what could have been his sixtieth cup of tea. The old man looked peaceful and content, two things that Sokka would not be feeling if he had a rebellion on his hands. Suki sat next to him, and for once the warrior did not feel anxious at her presence, she was still upset with him because of what he said to her during the meeting but was slowly getting over it after Sokka had apologized a hundred times over. The warrior shook his head in shame, knowing that he should know better than to say she wsan't fit to fight when it was she who taught him his basics. The warrior shook his head and gazed down at the large pile of documents that were sitting between the three of them. All of these scrolls held information pertaining to the T'ien Ti, the cult group that had nearly killed Zuko _twice _and were trying to overthrow Iroh's government through revolution. As the warrior gazed down at the scrolls he begun to wonder how he would have handled the situation had he been in Iroh's shoes. How would Sokka a man who relied on his wits, rather than his sword been able to handle a bloodthirsty group intent on killing him? Would he, like Iroh, take a step back and try to understand the context of the war and act accordingly? Or would he have chosen a different path?

Sokka's mind was driven out of it's wondering by Iroh's words.

"My friends," he said. "You have my thanks for assisting me in my research."

The words were spewing out of his mouth before he could help himself.

"That's not the only thing you'll be thanking us for."

Sokka was immediately punished with a smack on his forearm.

"Ow!"

Iroh smiled and proceeded to talk, as if there had been no interruption.

"Thanks to you, my friends, I have been able to dig up some valuable information on the T'ien Ti, information that I doubt I would have been able to find even in the Dragon Bone Catacombs."

Sokka raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Dragon _what_?"

"A stronghold for knowledge, Master Sokka," explained Iroh. "But that is a story for another time. We must focus on the present, tell me, what have you researched so far? Please do not leave anything out."

Sokka glanced at Suki with a slightly confused look on his face, before letting out a low groan. He was tired and hungry; there was no way his brain could function.

"Recorded Fire Nation History is divided into three stages," said Suki, in a clear commanding voice. "Yi nian, the First Age, is the time before the Avatar and the Four Elements, not much is known about that. "

Iroh nodded in approval.

"Yi nian is said to span, over five hundred years, depicting a long, gruesome war among three factions who fought for the islands of what would be the Fire Nation, several factions fought against one another to gain dominion over the lands, but one by one they fell to stronger clans, until by the year 2300 BSC, only three factions stood The Huo clan, the phoenix clan_ and the _Yu Yan Warriors_._"

Iroh nodded waiting for Suki to continue, but Suki's memory had faltered and she now glanced at Sokka, waiting for him to continue, reading ancient history can be a boring affair for a warrior. Sokka sighed in resignation.

"By 2350 BSC, the phoenix clan had been assimilated into the Huo clan" he said. "The phoenix clan were a peaceful clan led by a group of sages who tried to harness fire as an element of life rather than a weapon. It was their peaceful ways that led to their assimilation in the hands of the more militant _Sons of Fire _clan, together, they formed what would become the modern day Fire Nation."

Sokka would have continued had it not been for Iroh who chose this moment to add his own branch of knowledge to the conversation.

"And it was from the peaceful ways of the phoenix clan," he said. "Was the T'ien Ti born."

Sokka looked up, all thoughts of food effectively banished from his mind.

"Wait? _What?_"

The Water Tribe warrior was not certain about the ways of the Fire Nation, but he was certain that a militant group that had destroyed a city, attempted to wipe out an elite regiment and tried to kill Zuko on two different occasions _did not_ mean peaceful.

"How are they peaceful?"

"Peaceful _in origin,_" emphasized Iroh. "But how they have strayed from that path remains a mystery."

Iroh leaned towards the thick pile of scrolls and picked one. The Fire Lord held out the scroll towards the young pair, entreating either one to take it. Sokka leaned forward and took the scroll and unfurled it.

"I believe the scroll can shed light on my statement."

Sokka took the scroll and read it out loud.

**_2300 BSC__, _Year of the Dragon**

_I was able to feed Shu and Jing , today was exceptionally good, able to provide milk and riceballs without forgoing for me or the wife.. The kids still say they're hungry but they are young and don't understand that we have fallen on hard times. Life is difficult that's the way it is, but there is hope that things will change. The other day, Jin told me that the Fire Lord and the Yu Yan have seized fighting and may come to a truce. I have no doubt that it is the T'ien Ti who are responsible for this. They are the only hope for a brighter future for my children. May the spirits be with them always. _

Sokka frowned, trying to analyse what he was reading.

"The T'ien Ti seem to be the good guys here." he said, his surprise written all over his tone.

Iroh agreed with a nod of his head,

"Here's another one." He held out another scroll.

_**2250 BSC, Year of the Tiger**_

_This city has been destroyed, every building is now nothing more than ash and cinder block. I don't know if we can ever rebuild this place again. Everything that me and da ge Jing have worked for has been wiped out by that bastard of a Fire Lord, all because the people protested against taxes. I warned da ge Jing that protesting is a bad idea, that we should keep our heads down and let the T'ien Ti handle it. But da ge Jing wouldn't listen, "The war with the Yu Yan is over' he says. 'No battles to be fought, no armies to be raised, no weapons to be made. Why should we pay more money?" Instead of heeding the voice of our people, the Fire Lord sent an army. The military came with their firebenders and catapults, are town watch never stood a chance. It took them just three days to tear down the buildings that two generations of men worked so hard to build, buildings that me and da ge Jing had designed, buildings that should have represented a great city to be born in the wake of the War with the Yu Yan. _

_The T'ien Ti have protested against this act, they have called the Fire Lord a blood thirsty tyrant, making war on his people. They are right in their accusations but foolish to voice them, now I fear, that the Fire Lord will turn his armies on them. They are a group of Fire Sages who stand for peace; I fear that they will be crushed like this city. Who then will speak for the people? _

_I must go, I hear my advisor calling, and there is work that must be done. _

_Shu. _

Sokka let out a low whistle.

"Looks like the selfish, bloodthirsty tyrant gene goes _waay _back in your family."

Iroh chuckled as if he was amused rather than insulted.

"Read this one." he said.

This time, Suki reached out and took the scroll, eager to play her part in the onging conversation.

**_2240 BSC, Year of the Horse, _**

_Word has reached us, the T'ien Ti has been disbanded. The Fire Lord has used his armies to destroy them and has declared the T'ien Ti a terrorist organization, an enemy of the Fire Nation. The only enemy they ever were was the enemy of the Fire Lord himself. With the T'ien Ti gone, there will be no one left to speak for the people. Without the T'ien Ti I fear a life of tyranny and destruction at the hands of the Fire Lord. What should I do? Perhaps we should escape to the Yu Yan Islands or maybe to the Earth Kingdom. Mother, I do not know if I can raise my children in such a hostile environment. _

"Wow," muttered Suki. "Your people had _nooo_ faith in your great-great-great grandfather."

Iroh chuckled in agreement. "The point in asking you to read the documents is to make you see one thing."

"That the T'ien Ti were once the good guys," said Suki, at once. "And they were a peaceful non-militant group-"

"Who managed to survive all attempts by the Fire Nation royal family to wipe them out," completed Sokka. "The questions that need to be asked is: Why now? What were these guys doing during the Hundred Year War? And what are they trying to achieve by attacking a Prince and his FireLord who are dedicated to improving the livelihood of their people?"

Iroh nodded with a smile on his face. "Those are some intelligent questions, my friend," he said. "And I'm hoping to find out soon enough."

Sokka frowned, wondering what sort of trick that the old man had in mind. Before the warrior could open his mouth to express his thoughts, Suki quickly cut him off with a question of her own.

"Has anyone noticed that the T'ien Ti have made every effort to attack Zuko but hasn't even tried to attack General Iroh once? I mean, I don't want to offend you General-" amended Suki, getting to her feet and bowing low at the waist. "But, I can't help but think, if I was trying to take out my enemy I would go directly for the man in charge, even if Zuko is the heir apparent. Taking you down would not only mean taking down the current Fire Lord but also taking down the prince's family member and ally. If you can kill the unquestioned leader of a nation, the trouble it causes will spread like wildfire."

Sokka glanced up at Suki, admiration written all over his face.

"Wow… you're right." he muttered, it had never occurred to him to think about the T'ien Ti's choice of target, he had accepted that Zuko was their primary target but never stopped to consider why. While the warrior gazed on with a drooling mouth, Iroh smiled at the Kyoshi warrior.

"I'm glad Mistress Suki that you have pointed out this little detail. Yes, they have been attempts on Zuko's life, while there has been none on mine, even though the T'ien Ti have demonstrated the capability to do so."

Iroh paused after these words.

"My intuition tells me that the T'ien Ti have recognised my nephew as the most important member of the royal family. More important than myself."

Iroh's words snapped Sokka out of his daydreaming, and gazed at the General.

"How come?" he asked. "You're the current FireLord, what's more important than that?"

"I am the Firelord, _today_" said Iroh. "But Zuko is the Fire Lord, _tomorrow_. He's so much more than someone who will carry on our ancient bloodline. Zuko, to his people, represents a new way of life, steeped in the ways of honour, moulded in the belief in peace and forged in the fires of hardship. If something were to happen to my nephew, everything we had fought for, will die with him."

Sokka could only stare and listen as the General spoke, rarely had he ever seen Iroh like this, without his placate smile and cup of tea, Iroh looked like a completely different person. The warrior did not see the old man who embarrassed his nephew with lame jokes, but the General who was feared by his enemies and praised by his followers.

"Zuko hails from an ancient blood line of a powerful lord who founded the nation we know today," continued Iroh. "With my brother in prison, and Azula in a mental house, Zuko is the only person worthy of the throne and the only one who can lay claim to it when I pass away. But should my nephew be killed, then, every General, Admiral and politician with an ounce of power will try to claim lordship over this archipelago. Zuko is more than just a prince, my friends, he is the very fabric of our stability."

"So if Zuko is killed, we could have a huge civil war on our hands." summarised Suki.

"That amount chaos can easily spill out of Fire Nation territory and become another world war." said Sokka, in a grave voice.

A grave silence descended upon the room, as it's occupants considered what they had just discussed. The gravity of the situation descended upon him and Sokka realized that they weren't just trying to save the Fire Nation from impending chaos but also preventing the world from experiencing the scourges of another war.

_Stupid firebenders! _he cursed.

It was Suki who broke the awkward silence.

"So what do you want to do?"

Her question was directed at Iroh, who acknowledged her with a nod.

"I must go to the capital, your master has been keeping an eye on things for me." he said, nodding towards Sokka. "He has reported that there has been dissent within the city, I'm going back to quell these riots, with my presence the T'ien Ti may make a brash move that we can use to our advantage."

Sokka was on his feet in a flash.

"We're coming with you," Katara and Zuko were going to the Yu Yan Islands, Aang and Toph were going to the Dragon Pagodas, all of his friends were placing themselves in danger to ensure that there was no civil war, Sokka wanted to play his part in dousing the fires before they got out of control.

Iroh nodded in agreement.

"We will leave by air balloon, the one that Lieutenant Lee arrived in," he said. "Be ready within the hour."

Without thinking about what he was doing, Sokka saluted the old man.

"I wish to come too." said Suki, feeling the need to assert her presence.

Iroh gave her a small smile.

"Who ever said you weren't?"

Sokka _was not _going to make the same mistake of angering the Kyoshi Captain, he looked at his girlfriend and gave her a small smile of encouragement.

"I'll go get ready."

Suki turned and departed, Sokka stood where he was and watched her go, his eyes raking her slender body. Sokka could feel a warm fuzzy feeling unfurling in the pit of his stomach and he was hit with the sudden urge to place his hands on Suki's hypnotizing hips.

"She's a wonderful person, isn't she?" asked Iroh, in a tone that indicated that he knew what was going through Sokka's mind.

Sokka turned to face the older man and nodded.

"Yeah, she is."

"She reminds me of a young woman of radiant beauty, one whose smile managed to captivate a young prince."

The General had disappeared replaced by an old man nostalgic for his past. Sokka turned away from the door through which Suki had departed and turned to face Iroh, he was certain that had the Fire Lord been rambling about anything else he would not be paying attention but on this occasion, Sokka found the old man's story interesting.

"Who was she?" he asked.

"My wife," said the general with a soft smile. "She was the most beautiful woman I had ever met and the only one I ever loved."

The sheer honesty behind Iroh's words made Sokka nervous and he gulped in apprehension, it was time to leave.

"I have to-"

A rustle of robes made the warrior pause and turn around, Iroh had gotten to his feet and was walking towards a desk piled to the edge with an assortment of scrolls. The general's words were spoken in a soft whisper, but his voice still carried to Sokka's ears.

"On the day of our wedding," whispered Iroh. "I felt that we would live to be two hundred. If I had known back then that our time together would be so short, my life would have been very different."

Sokka could only see Iroh's long mane of grey hair, but the warrior could still feel the deep sadness emanating from the Fire Lord, an aura of gloom that grabbed his attention. Despite his misgivings, in spite of the voice in the back of his mind screaming at him not to do it, Sokka couldn't help it; the call to sate his curiosity was now too strong.

"What happened to her?"

Iroh acknowledged the question with an inclination of his head.

"She passed away, shortly after my son was born."

Sokka was taken aback; he could feel his heart beating hard and fast. The warrior was hit with the urge to turn and flee.

"I must leave."

"Remember, we leave within the hour, time is short"

The warrior scurried towards the door, eager to get away from the old man who for some reason felt the need to ramble on about someone who Sokka had never met.

_Why can't he ramble away with Zuko, the two of them would have been a match made in heaven. Why does he have to talk to me about someone who I've never met. Just because she was his wife doesn't mean…. _

The warrior was about to bolt through the door when he suddenly stopped, something had occurred to him. Sokka turned around to face to look at the General who was still standing with his back to him.

"General Iroh?"

"What is it Master Sokka?"

"When you said, time is short? You weren't just talking about this whole mess with the T'ien Ti, were you?"

A brief paused followed Sokka's question, the warrior waited, wondering if he had just misunderstood the Dragon of the West.

"I can see that the Southern Water Tribe is blessed to have an heir apparent of your calibre."

The two men stood still staring at one another, divided by years, divided by culture and station, but in the threshold of a nobleman's office a kindle of understanding had been lit, an understanding forged of friendship and respect. For the first time, since he had returned to the Fire Nation, Sokka was glad that he had decided to follow Katara and Aang. The Warrior bowed to the General, not out of custom, but out of deep respect.

"Thank you."

* * *

Living in the Fire Nation was not an easy job, during the century of warfare, its people were subjected to long dangerous campaigns in lands thousands of miles away from their homes, where the only reward was survival. At home, people were subject to long hours of work, dragging themselves through the streets out of sheer force of will, while glancing enviously at the politicians and military officers in their palanquins lined with silk cushions.

With the end of the war, little had changed, the Fire Nation had to rebuild an entire economy and hundreds if not thousands of people were laid off work and those who were lucky enough to keep a job were forced to take pay cuts for even longer hours, but despite the strife, the people did not complain, it was their duty to be loyal to their Lord regardless of who occupied the throne and what he did. The people were forced to grit their teeth and slog through each day, just so that they could tumble into bed, only to get up the next day and slog through another day.

Life in the Fire Nation was hard work but in the case of Zuo Zuo, the town's days were made considerably brighter thanks to the presence of a small pub reputed for it's cheap spiced wine and succulent beef jerky, with it's cheery atmosphere, the Dancing Phoneix soon became a hotspot for people of all ages to gather and talk about their lives, anybody who wanted to know anything about somebody would gather at the Dancing Phoneix, some even said that it was the heart and soul of the town.

Aang continued to walk down the path towards the bar, feeling torn between fear, apprehension and excitement. The young bender had heard so much about these pubs from his friends from over a century ago and he had always dreamed of entering one. But at the same time, he was painfully aware of the seedy reputation of these establishments, he knew that fights often broke out and that people have been killed. Why Iroh wanted him to come here, he did not know and_ how _was a fourteen-year-old supposed to go unnoticed inside such a place remained another mystery. Aang turned to his companion with a smile on his face, the airbender could remember how she had bullied two, full-grown men into revealing the location of 'The Dancing Phoneix.' Aang had been strongly reminded of the past year, when Toph had dealt with difficult people the way she always did and he was glad that she had chosen to come with him.

It had only been two days since he had broken up with Katara, but it already felt like two months, the sting of their arguments was beginning to fade away and thoughts of the delightful waterbender no longer enticed him the way they once did. Aang was left to wonder just how quickly romantic feelings could fade away. Or was it perhaps that his relationship with Katara barely extended beyond friendship? If that was the case then how did one know who you loved as a friend and loved as a lover? Aang shook his head, trying to dispel the thoughts from his mind.

_I have bigger things to worry about. _He reminded himself.

"The Old Man's got a reason for us going there." said Toph, interrupting his train of thought.

Aang turned to his companion his eyes skimmed over her face, grey eyes looked directly at the milky pair of the pale young woman, before lingering down to her face. Toph had remarkably smooth cheekbones and a complexion that glowed under the moonlight. Aang had never thought of Toph as an attractive person but perhaps… _No, no what am I thinking! This is Toph! My sifu! But then Katara was my sifu too, and she was older than me, so then, is it okay to think that Toph is attractive? _

Aang glanced at Toph again, the more he stared at her, the more he found himself not caring.

"Did the Old Man tell you why you had to go to a pub?" asked Toph, who had seemed to develop a talent for interrupting his thoughts.

Aang shook his head and tried to focus his mind on the task at hand. "He told me to meet someone in there," he said. "I suspect that he's someone from the Order of the White Lotus."

Silence fell between the two of them but Aang did not trust his mind to stay focused on the task at hand, he needed to break the silence between them.

"How do you think Zuko and Katara are doing?"

Toph cocked her head in his direction.

"Are you worried about them?"

"A little bit" confessed Aang. "We don't know what's going on right now and what may happen, but at the sametim they're the strongest people that I know, whatever fate throws at them I know they can handle it."

"They're not invincible, you know."

There was a certain force behind her tone that made Aang glance back at her.

"You're worried about them, as well, aren't you?"

His insightful comment was rewarded with a hard punch to his arm.

"Of course I'm worried about them, and Sokka, and the Old Man, hell, even that fan-waving loony who calls herself a warrior. I'm worried about them all."

Aang was slightly taken aback, he had always known that beneath Toph's tough exterior was a warm-hearted personality constantly worried about the well-being of her companions but he was not expecting the confession to come bursting out of her at this moment.

"I'm worried too," said Aang, trying his best to reassure her. "The monks used to say that our greatest strength is our faith in hope. I never quite understood what they meant back then, I was just a kid cooped up in a temple, I didn't know much back then"

"You still don't know much." muttered Toph.

"The point is," said Aang, choosing to ignore the jab. "I finally realize what they meant, I don't know if Zuko, Katara, Sokka and all our friends will be all right, I don't know if we will get through this unscathed, but I _believe _that they we will be all right, I believe that we will one day, be able to sit around a campfire like we used to and we would be able to tell stories, play jokes on one another and laugh ourselves silly, because that's what hope does Toph, we need to have faith in a brighter future. It's what helps us get through."

When Aang stopped talking, he could feel something warm, soft and tender in his hand, surprised, he glanced down to see that had taken Toph's hand into his own, and that Toph was actually _holding_ his hand, her pale fingers wrapped around his own. Aang was surprised but he didn't want to let go.

"You've grown, Aang," whispered Toph. "I'm proud of you."

Aang suddenly felt awkward and a little embarrassed, he began to rub his head.

"I've had many people to teach me." he said.

The airbender looked ahead and realized that they had stopped walking during their conversation.

"We need to get going; I want to find out what happened to my connection with my past lives. The sooner I find out what the problem is, the sooner we can help our friends."

"Still no idea why your past lives ditched you?"

"Not a clue."

The two of them walked down the path in silence, as they approached the pub, a small establishment close to the coast. As the two of them got closer to the pub, they noticed a tall figure standing at the entrance.

_Please, don't let that be someone who wants to attack us. _thought Aang.

Toph was obviously thinking the same thing for she cracked his knuckles, as the person took a step forward. Aang continued to walk forward with a tight grip on his staff. As the two companions approached the pub, the figure approached them and stepped into the moonlight. The shadow was cast away to reveal a tall, slim woman, who looked to be no older than thirty, she had a pale face framed in short black hair. The young woman wore the sort of travel clothes that Aang had seen Zuko wear during the war, she would have looked like a tomboy had it not been for the smile she wore.

"Greetings, strangers" she said, bowing low at the waist. "Who goes there?"

Aang smiled in relief, Iroh had told him that he would be asked this question and he knew exactly how to answer.

"One who has seen the fruit and tasted its mysteries."

The woman smiled again.

"It is a pleasure to meet the revered Avatar and Master Bei Fong in person," she said, bowing to the younger people. "I'm honoured to be in your presence."

Flattery had never made Aang comfortable and a year of being showered in compliments did not make it any less awkward

"Thanks." he said, with a nervous laugh.

"My name is Shu Qui" said the woman, approaching the two of them. "The Grandmaster has requested me to help you on your journey."

"Why did you want to meet us here?"

The question had come from Toph, Shu Qui surveyed her with a glance.

"I frequent this place, Master Bei Fong" she said. "And, My boat is not too far from here"

"Your boat?"

"Yes, hidden in a cave not too far from here."

Toph placed her hand on the ground, with a look of concentration of her face.

"Yep, there's a cave, really close by, shouldn't take more than a couple of moments to reach it."

"Then let us hurry," said Shu Qui. "It will take less than a day to reach the Dragon Pagodas. Time is essential and we must not linger in one spot for too long."

Aang knew what she meant and nodded in agreement.

"Let's go"

* * *

A pale tinge of pink began to blemish the dark sky, a single ray of light was breaking through the horizon, as the sun rose to greet the world. To Lee, the weather seemed to be mocking his mood, as Zuko's words echoed in Lee's head, like a shout down a long corridor, the hurt behind the words resonated in his head, threatening to crack his skull.

"_Why? Tell me, why!" _

Words that expressed anger, and hurt were etched into his mind, branded by a red hot rod into the inner most realms of his memory. Lee would never forget the look on Zuko's face when he first walked onto the rocky ledge. If Lee ever lived long enough to have grandchildren, he was sure that he would still remember this day, when he had betrayed his only real friend in the worst way ever. The rogue felt hollow, it was like his body was nothing more than a shell, devoid of any feeling. Was this how tyrants and warlords felt every time they ordered the execution of defenceless people? The look on Zuko's face expressed the very words that the prince wanted to say_. _Lee forced his mind away from the past and onto more recent events. The 'Master' or junfa, the unquestioned leader of the T'ien Ti had approached him with an offer that he could not refuse; Lee could still remember the conversation he had had with the old man. It had been at a very stressful time, when he was struggling to resettle the refugees of Sozin on the Western islands. The man had given him something that belonged to someone who was precious to him but was now dead. Lee dug into his pocket and pulled out a small earring, a small dragon, made out of glass, it had belonged to Lee's mother. The Junfa had given it to him to gain Lee's trust. The lieutenant could recall the conversation as if it were yesterday.

"_Your mother did not die the night your home was burnt down, Lieutenant Lee." Lee looked up at the man, his anger flaring like a fire doused in oil. "I don't know who you think you are or who how you came to know about my mother snapped Lee, his fists igniting with fire. "But if you mention her one more time I will shove my fist right through your head!" _

_ "Patience, good Lieutenant, patience." appeased the old man. _

_He pulled something out of his pocket and held it out towards the Lieutenant, it was small and it glimmered in the torchlight. Lee immediately recognized it. _

_"My mother's ring" he gasped. _

_Lee knew that his mother was not rich enough to own jewellery, but she always wore that ring. Lee was not sure where or how she got it, all he knew was that she never took it off. _

_"How did you get your hands on it?" _

_"That's what I came to tell you tonight.__"__ said the man, placing the ring on Lee's desk. "I know what it is that you seek to know, are you willing to listen?_ "

_Lee glanced at the ring before taking it into his palm._

_ "Why are you here?_ " _ he whispered. _

_"I want to tell you the truth about your mother, I knew Yangyang, and it pains me to see that her son does not know the true circumstances of her death._"

_Lee was torn between tears and anger. A part of him wanted to know what had happened that night, but another part of him wanted to close the wounds and move on. _

_"How do I know you're not lying to me?_ "

_ "I gave you the proof, look carefully; it was Yangyang's ring was it not?_ "

_Lee's fists clenched the ring, it was indeed his mother's ring, he would recognise any possession of hers._

_"What do you want to tell me?_ "

_ "Five years ago, your home was destroyed and your supposedly mother perished with it._"

_ Lee nodded, unable to say anything._

_ "The truth is Lieutenant, that was not the case, you're mother was not left to die in a burning building. She was kidnapped._ "

_"Kidnapped?_ "

_"By the very same soldiers who saw you in the district._"

_Lee shook his head, if only he had not gone down that road…. _

"_She was taken from the apartment, while you were away, and the building set aflame, perhaps it was to draw you out or make sure that there were no witnesses left, I'm not sure what was the idea behind it._ "

_"It was a way to get to me._" _muttered Lee. _

_"Your mother was taken away._"

_"Wait, how could that be?_ "

_ If Lee remembered correctly, he had killed the men that night, who was left to take his mother away?_

_ "You were spotted by ranked soldiers, they had subordinates to do their bidding for them._ "

_Lee was not certain if ranked soldiers frequented districts, Sitting in his palm was proof that he knew or at least met his mother but he was starting to wonder how much the man knew and how he knew it. _

_"How did you get this ring?_ "

_"Your mother was brought to the palace," continued the junfa. "Where I worked as Captain of the Royal Guard._"

_Lee looked at the man, anger giving way to surprise. _

_"You? The palace?_ "

_The Junfa nodded. _

_"Indeed, I served the Fire Lord many years ago, similar to your duties to the prince." _

_"Why was my mother brought to the palace?" _

_"To be questioned of your whereabouts." _

_"My whereabouts?_ "

_"Yes_"

_"But what would someone in the Fire Lord's home want of me?_ "

_The Junfa's eyes glinted with malice and Lee knew that he had walked into a trap._

_ "If you wish to know._" _ said the Master of the T'ien Ti. "You will have to do a little favour for me._ "

The conversation with the Junfa had opened up old wounds and ignited a burning desire to find out what really happened that night. Lee had assumed that the soldiers had burnt down his home out of simple vengeance, but if what the Master of the T'ien Ti said was true then there was more to his mother's death, he recalled the time his mother refused to tell him who his father was and wondered if there was a connection….

"You!"

Lee turned around, ready to embrace any sort of distraction from his thoughts, even if it came from someone he despised. The woman who had led the attack on Zuko and Katara was approached him, Zuko had called her Sui.

"You!" she repeated, her hazel eyes livid with anger. "How dare you disobey my orders! Now look! The Prince and his friend are gone! The Master is going to kill me! We had one chance and you blew it-"

Lee tuned her out and stared out into the ocean, not more than a few minutes ago, a ship was bobbing a few meters off the coastline. Lee knew that the ship would be taking Zuko and Katara to the Yu Yan Islands. The Islands were less than a day's journey on ship.

_We can easily catch up_ he thought.

The girl named Sui was still ranting, he noted her startling resemblance to Mai and his dislike for her grew.

"You insolent moron! Who-"

Lee had had enough, he did not join the T'ien Ti to suffer the ranting of a little child. The traitor turned to face the girl and she immediately stopped, perhaps, it was the look of barely constrained anger on his face that made her think twice about yelling at him.

"First of all," he said, in a voice full of righteous anger. "You have no authority to yell at me, _under any reason_."

Sui's eyes flashed with anger and her nostrils flared with resentment, Lee ignored these signs of discontent.

"Don't act like you're in charge, Sui," he snapped. "Because from the moment I joined the T'ien Ti, you automatically ceded your authority to me."

Sui's open look of surprise told him the story, Lee couldn't help but smirk with satisfaction.

"You truly had no idea," he said, in wonder. "Did you honestly think that the Junfa would trust you with such an important task, after what you did at Sozin?"

"What makes the Junfa think he can trust you!" she snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "You were the Prince's second-in-command!"

Lee stared at the pale dirty finger and resisted the urge to break it in half.

"The junfa and I have an understanding of our own" he hissed, in a cold voice_. _"And like you said: I was Prince Zuko's second-in-command, that means I know _exactly _where he is going, and what his agenda is. I'm of much more value to the Junfa than you ever were."

Lee noted how Sui's fists clenched in anger.

"I have a task where capturing the Prince is only the half of it, I'm part of the Junfa's bigger plans, Sui, you're just a pawn in this game."

It wasn't entirely true, thought Lee, he was certain that the Junfa had other plans where _he_ was the pawn, but his words were having the desired effect. Sui's face was a map of anger and hate, and Lee knew that he needed to try and quell any ideas that could disrupt his plan.

"If you have any problem with this new arrangement than I suggest that you take it up with the Junfa. But then again, it's not like you can do too much complaining, can you Sui?"

Lee smirked because he knew that Sui was now regretting her actions at Sozin, the actions that got her in this situation.

"I think you get the point," said Lee. "Now go get us a boat, we're heading towards the Yu Yan Islands, also, send a message to the Junfa, tell him that the Prince is heading towards the Yu Yan Islands."

Sui did not respond at once, she bowed her head with clenching fists and Lee knew that deep down she was trying to suppress the urge to punch him in the gut.

"It will be done." she said. "It will be done, _sir" _Sui gritted her teeth. "It will be done, sir."

With those words she stormed away. Lee smiled to himself, savouring the temporary victory which he knew would not last. Sure enough, Sui had no sooner left than Mai approached him, he was once again struck with the canny resemblance between the two women.

"I sent the message." she whispered.

Lee nodded in reply.

"I don't like this, they're watching us like red hawks."

Lee snorted and turned away, facing the ocean that did not glare accusatory looks through his skull. This was the first time he heard an expression of feeling from Mai.

"What did you expect?" he asked. "Try and deal with it as best you can if all goes according to plan, , it wouldn't be for long."

Lee could sense Mai glaring at him and he wondered if she was going to stick a knife in between his shoulder blades.

"Mai, did you really intend to hit Zuko with that knife you threw at him?"

"Perhaps" said Mai. "But I had to do something to convince them."

Lee heard the faint footsteps of her departure. Lee sighed as he rubbed his head, time was short, he knew that Zuko and Katara were heading towards the Yu Yan Islands to negotiate with the clans, so that they would not side with the T'ien Ti, Lee had been given the important task of preventing Zuko from achieving his goals.

* * *

The first hint of sunrise broke through the horizon adding a speck of pink to the dark skies. The sea was calm, making it receptive to sailing ships. A single ship could be seen floating across the sea, billowing out smoke at a steady pace. A lone figure could be seen leaning on the railings of the small ship, gazing intently at the water below. Zuko could not decide what was worse, having a sister who your archrival and _knowing _that one day you would have to take her down or having a friend you thought you could trust, onyl for him to turn his back on you when you needed him. Zuko sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his dark hair, with Azula, it had been different, the former princess may have been a master of deception but there was one thing she had never lied about: Her feelings towards Zuko, from the moment it became clear that she was Ozai's favourite, Zuko had become the focus of her hostility, she had marked a clear border between them and treated her brother like an enemy.

But with Lee it had been different, he had walked into his life as a complete stranger but their relationship had blossomed until Zuko was convinced that they were friends. At first, the prince had reacted with apprehension, the prince was a stranger when it came to matters such as friendship and he had been far too preoccupied with his breakup with Katara to notice the level of understanding he had had with his Lieutenant up until this moment. But now, he was left to wonder if it was all one setup for last night.

_'Was it all some sick game?__'_ he whispered .

Zuko had trusted Lee despite knowing very little about the man's history, taking it for granted that he could trust him. But now Zuko wondered whether Lee had been a double-agent all along, from the events at Sozin, to the attempt on his life at the palace, Zuko wondered whether Lee's sole purpose was to eventually betray him. Anger began to rear its ugly head and Zuko gripped the railings tightly. If Lee had been planning this moment for months then he was going to have a lot to answer to.

The sound of footsteps alerted Zuko to the presence of another person and he turned around to see who it was. Katara was approaching him, dressed in Fire Nation garb that Zuko was certain was meant for men. Not that it mattered; Zuko had come to the conclusion that Katara would look splendid in anything she wore.

"I just spoke to the captain" she said, softly. "He said that we will reach the islands in less than an hour"

"Right."

Zuko suddenly remembered the purpose of their journey and he resisted the urge to groan.

_How the heck are my supposed to carry out negotiations with the enemy at my back? How in Agni's name are my supposed to be calm and rational now? _

But Zuko knew that he had little choice in the matter, he had to endure whatever came his way. As the Crown Prince, Zuko was the rock of his country, if the foundation fell than an entire nation would descend into chaos, weakness was not an option. The prince glanced at the waterbender beside him, Katara's eyes were on the water, flicking her wrist to make a variety of animal shapes in the water and Zuko couldn't help but marvel at her skill, and was glad that he had chosen her to help him negotiate with the Yu Yan.

"We need a plan," said Katara, breaking the silence between them.

"You mean how to deal with the Yu Yan?"

"That's right"

"Why do you think the Yu Yan want to push independence now?"

"Isn't it obvious? They think my country is weak"

Zuko was rewarded with a sharp slap to the back of his head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being rash" snapped Katara, her eyes flashing. "Think Zuko, if they thought that your country is weak why bother with sending a letter to your uncle? There could have just declared their independence and broken away from Fire Nation rule, or worse yet, go to war with you guys."

Zuko had to concede that she had a point, the prince thought hard about the Yu Yan's actions. Why would a tribe of people renowned for it's war like ways suddenly retort to diplomacy?

"Because they want more than just independence." he concluded.

Katara nodded in agreement with a small smile on her face.

"Exactly, I've been thinking hard about this, and while I agree that the timing is a bit suspicious, I don't think the Yu Yan want to just break away, they want to break away on favourable terms with the Fire Nation."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Before we left I did some reading on the history between the Yu Yan and the Fire Nation," said Katara. "And I took down some notes on what I thought might help."

Zuko raised his eyebrows, feeling very impressed.

"You came better prepared for this than I did."

The waterbender waved away his compliment.

"That's only because you're more familiar about this stuff," she said. "Zuko, my own homeland, was ravished by the Fire Nation, I know how it feels to have your only home suffocating under someone else's rule. The Yu Yan want to break away not because of who is weak or strong, but because they want to get rid of that humiliation they must have felt being subservient to someone else ."

Zuko suddenly understood what Katara was trying to say.

"You're telling me to give them what they want, aren't you?" he whispered.

"If that is what they want, why not?" replied the waterbender.

Katara paused to assess what she had just said.

"I'm sorry that what I'm saying is going against your uncle's wishes and you are free to ignore what I said, but the way I see it, there's a chance that you may incite them by denying them freedom."

Zuko sighed, as he ran a hand through his loose hair.

"I'm glad you told me your opinion," he said. "Don't ever apologize for that."

Katara smiled and nodded, she then did something unexpected, she placed a hand on Zuko's forearm. The prince felt the hairs on his forearm prickle with lightening that was not his own making. Katara was looking at him intently, deep blue orbs that penetrated his soul.

"Whatever decision you make, I will support you to the fullest."

Zuko placed his hand over Katara's and smiled back.

"I know."

He gave her hand a light squeeze in thanks. As the prince stared at the young woman before him, thoughts of their past began to swirl through their mind and he began to wonder why the two of them had ever broken up in the first place.

"But there's still the problem of _them_." whispered the waterbender.

Zuko turned away scowled at the ocean, he did not need another clue as to who _them _meant.

"How are you feeling?"

Zuko paused for contemplating his words.

"Like the time I got hit by Azula's lightening." He confessed.

"I know it's shocking, " said Katara, in a heartfelt voice that told her that she understood. "It must be so hard."

"It is," admitted Zuko. "I never thought that he would do that."

An awkward silence followed this confession. Katara placed a gentle hand on Zuko's shoulder, though she said nothing, letting Zuko know that he was there for her if she ever needed her. But the prince was in no mood to think about Lee. Zuko knew that Lee would come to him sooner or later, and he would deal with him when he did. The prince was reminded of how much he missed Katara, the waterbender, he knew was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, she was stubborn, quick to anger, slow to forgive and could hold a grudge longer than a sea lion turtle's lifespan, but beneath all these flaws, was the warmest, most compassionate being in the entire world and he would never change anything about her personality.

Zuko wanted her despite all her flaws. The prince turned to face the waterbender, her large sapphire blue eyes were focused on the water but her hand was still on his shoulder. Did she feel the same way? Did she still think about him, as he did her? Zuko's mind screamed at him, yelling that they were on the verge of a pending civil war and that he had to focus on formulating a plan of action. But his heart told him a different story, that this would probably be the only time he would be alone with Katara and he needed to take advantage of the moment.

_But what about the other day?_

Zuko's mind raced back to the moment when he had kissed Katara, carried away by a strong haze of emotion, Zuko had acted on feelings that had been boiling inside him for days, and he regretted almost immediately.

_I can't be distracted, not now, not when so many people are relying on me. _

"Katara"

"Yes?"

The waterbender turned to face him with a look of…. _Eagerness? _

"Thank you so much, Katara" said Zuko, placing a hand on her shoulder.

His pale fingers closed over her shoulder, and the prince could feel the delicate skin beneath the fabric of her tunic. A part of Zuko longed to push aside the fabric and run his hand over her smooth, tan shoulder.

"Thank you for coming" he whispered.

Katara gave him another smile.

"We've been over this Zuko," she said, softly. "I won't abandon you, not ever."

Something in Zuko's chest swelled and exploded.

"And I will never walk away when you need me" replied the prince, his voice had gone soft and husky, an expression of what he was feeling, his hand seemed to act of it's own will and moved from her shoulder to the waterbender's cheek.

Katara leaned in to his touch with a smile of content on her face, Zuko began to lose track of his rational thoughts and he found that he did not care. This was what he wanted, here and now, moments of sweetness and intimacy that he wanted to share with no one else but Katara. His throne and his honour, he was willing to throw both away for the sake of the blue-eyed girl standing before him. It was at this moment did he realize that there a gap between them, like a gaping ravine in the mountains, and that if this gap was to be closed, he would have to say something, regardless of what the outcome was. The uncertainty of the days ahead, loneliness that had been building up for the past year, spurred him on to do something that he had been too scared to do for so long.

"Katara, I just want you to know that how I feel hasn't changed ever since that day."

Something in Katara's eyes made Zuko think that whatever he had said was the wrong thing, a look akin to pity had cropped up on Katara's face.

"Oh, Zuko," she whispered, her eyes were shining with tears. "This is harder than I thought it would be."

"What is?" said Zuko, suddenly afraid that she might turn him down.

"Us" she replied. "Our history, our memories, all of it is so hard to deal with and we have so many problems to-"

Katara stuttered to a halt when Zuko pressed his finger to her lips.

"Katara, I know it it's hard," he whispered. "Because it's hard for me too, every time I'm around you I can't help but remember our time together and I wish I could get it back, but I can't."

"But we have to move forward" whispered Katara, prying his finger from her mouth. "You...We have to stay rational, your country is counting on us to do so."

Had they been in different circumstances, Zuko would have understood what Katara was trying to say, but his brain had somehow shut down, and his heart was demanding clear answers.

"What are you trying to say, Katara?"

"I'm saying that us, can't happen for a while, Zuko, at least till we have solved this one."

Her words were like a blow to his gut, for a moment he forgot how to speak and he simply stared at her.

_What did you expect? _said a nasty voice in his head. _Your duty comes first, it always has. Did you honestly think that it would change just because you actually like a girl?_

"Katara, I-"

"I'm going below deck" she said, turning away.

Katara turned away and the prince suddenly felt cold, he was hit with a strong sense of déjà vu, strongly reminded of the day at Ba Sing Se when Katara had abruptly ended their relationship. The Prince had been too shocked to say anything back then and it had ended with him reminiscing and wondering over her words, for months. He would be damned, if he was going to let her walk away without him having _his_ say. This note of thought sparked something within Zuko, a feeling so intense that it burned away all rational thought.

"Katara, wait."

Zuko reached out and caught Katara's arm before she could walk out of his reach. The waterbender turned around with a look of surprise on her face. Zuko himself had no idea what he was doing, this was not in his character, he was a disciplined person who was always able to keep his emotions in check, but since when was he able to keep his cool around Katara?

"I just want you to know," he said. "About the other day outside Niu Chengshi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… surprise you like that. It was an honest mistake."

"Zuko, I-"

"Please, wait, I'm not finished, I also did that because for the year that you and I have been apart, I've been miserable, even though I had my duties to my country, I could never stop thinking about you, what you said on that day and how we ended things like that and now… I feel empty inside, Katara. So… I, want to know, no, I beg you to tell me"

Zuko no longer knew what he was doing, nor did he care. All he wanted was answers, and this maybe the only time he could have to get them. Taking a deep breath, Zuko got down to his knees. Katara let out a low gasp, her eyes wide in shock and her mouth open in a slight 'O'

"Zuko, what-"

"I want to know, Katara." he said, looking up to her.

"Know what?"

"Why did you end things the way you did? Tell me the truth."

Katara turned away from him with a sorrowful look on her face, Zuko could tell that she was recalling past memories.

"I…. Do you remember that night we spent at the crater?"

_We spent many nights at the crater_ thought Zuko, but knew better than to say that out loud.

"There was one night where you mentioned one of your minister's suggestions for improving relations with the aristocracy, you mentioned arranged marriage, I didn't think too much about it, even though it made me jealous." she continued. "But you saying how the minister's kept persisting with that idea, and my thoughts immediately went to Mai and, I… thought it was best if I slipped away."

The words hit Zuko like a hammer to the gut, he never thought that something so trivial would be the cause of this confusion.

"Katara, I- It was only a plan I mentioned in passing, I was never going to consider it."

Katara shook her head.

"No, Zuko don't misunderstand."

She closed the distance between them and placed her hand on his temple, allowing her fingers to trace the outline of Zuko's jaw.

"It wasn't the arranged marriage or jealousy… well, a little bit, but not entirely. I saw just how hard it was for you to run a country that didn't want you in power to begin with and I thought that I was in the way."

"No you weren't," said Zuko, shaking his head in denial. "You never in my way, you made it possible to make it through those days."

Katara smiled at him.

"I wish that you told me that a year ago," she said. "But it wouldn't have changed my decision, Zuko, I wanted to be with you, but your country, your uncle _needs _you, then and now."

"And I want-"

Zuko's stubborn reply was cut off by Katara's finger on her lips.

"I know what you want," she said with a smile. "It's not everyday that you see a prince kneeling before a peasant."

Zuko chuckled.

"You're not a peasant" he said at once. "Your father is a leader of a tribe with an ancient culture, you're just as good as a princess… even if you don't have the title."

Katara smiled again. Zuko got to his feet and looked at Katara.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Zuko did not know why he had just asked that, but he could immediately tell that he had touched uncomfortable ground. Katara's smile vanished and she looked away.

"Katara?"

"Zuko, I-"

The prince did not know if he was ready to hear the reason that had triggered the waterbender's awkward behaviour.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me, it's"

"No, this is something you should know, and I don't know if I will get another chance to tell you."

The waterbender sighed and turned away.

"Zuko, I'm not proud of what I did, it was terrible, almost evil."

"Katara, don't judge yourself-"

"Please, Zuko, let me finish."

The prince nodded apprehensively.

"After we broke up, it was very difficult. I know I ended it, but it was still hard on me. I thought that the best way to get over you is to…"

The words made Zuko go cold, as if the sun had been covered. The prince backed away from Katara, an array of emotions fighting for dominance.

"Who was it?" he whispered.

Katara rubbed her neck and raised her hand to her temple, as if trying to hide from Zuko's penetrating stare.

"Who was it?"

Zuko's mind began to go through all the possibilities, Haru, the earthbender, someone from Katara's village and maybe…

"It was someone we know" said Katara, still not looking at Zuko.

The prince did not need anymore clues as to who that someone was, but he still found it hard to belief.

"Don't tell me… Aang?"

Katara's silence was all the confirmation he needed. For a moment, the crown prince was paralysed, not sure of what to do, he wanted to yell at Katara, he wanted to demand more answers, he wanted to walk away and act as if this conversation had never happened. The fire that had been snuffed out from within, returned with a vengeance, and he took a deep breath to keep calm.

"Zuko?"

The prince did not reply, with his fists clenched tightly, he sidestepped the waterbender looking at him with sad, large eyes. Zuko continued to walk away, a small voice reminded him that he too had tried to start things with Mai, once they had broken up, but he choose to ignore the voice. Katara did not call out to him, she knew better than to disturb him when he was in no mood to talk. Zuko was grateful because he did not know what to say, unfortunately, the approaching soldier did not know the prince as well as the waterbender did.

"Prince Zuko, sir!" _Can't a guy get a moment's peace?_

"Yes, what is it?" said the prince, in a tight voice. "The Yu Yan Islands are in sight, we will be docking at the Fire Nation base within the hour."

Zuko turned around and glanced ahead of him, he could clearly see the tropical islands growing larger and larger with each passing minute. The prince clenched his fists with renewed determination.

"I _will _make peace with the Yu Yan," he muttered to himself. Zuko turned back to the soldier, "Thank you, Corporal."

A half an hour later, the ship was drifting slowly into the small, rudimentary harbour of the Fire Nation base. The military base in the Yu Yan Islands was built shortly after the War had begun, over a century ago. It was established upon the personal orders of Firelord Azulon to draft the Yu Yan's revered warriors to be used in combat, after reaching agreement with the tribe leaders, it was meant to serve both as a recruitment spot and a symbolic reminder of the Fire Nation's control over Yu Yan territory and its people. Zuko cast his eyes around the base, it was a small base with nothing more than the necessary buildings, such as, the barracks, komodo keep, officer's buildings and a small oval ground for the firebenders to practice. The Yu Yan base was not a large one for there was never need to train the recruits who came to it, for the Yu Yan trained their own for combat.

It was the early hours of dawn, and torches could be still seen glowing weakly with each passing minute as the sun rose ever higher. A small assembly of soldiers were standing in a line, waiting for their prince to disembark. Zuko, however, was pressed for time and in no mood formalities, with his rucksack in hand he leapt off the ship before it had come to a full stop. Ignoring the gasps of the captain, he turned to Katara who was still on the ship, with an amused expression on her face.

"Are you coming?"

"In a minute." she said, with a small smile, obviously reluctant to jump down from the ship.

Zuko smiled back, before turning to face the captain who was bowing low to him.

"Prince Zuko, we're honoured that you would grace us with your presence."

But Zuko was in no mood for military protocol, he had come here to do a job, and he had to do it quickly.

"Skip the protocol, Captain" snapped Zuko. "I want a quick report: Has the Yu Yan done anything at all in the past couple of weeks?"

"They have sent a messenger, wanting to know what the FireLord has done in response to their request."

"What did you tell them?"

"I have stated that the Fire Lord will carefully consider their words and come up with a solution that they will be of both mutual interest."

Zuko nodded, he noticed Katara approach the two of them, the captain's eyes flitted towards the waterbender but did nothing else to acknowledge her presence.

"Have they followed it up with any reaction?"

The Captain shook his head.

"They have not, my prince."

Zuko nodded in appreciation,

" Listen carefully to my instruction Captain, Mistress Katara and I will depart for Yu Yan territory very soon, I want you and your men to keep your eyes peeled for any intruders that may try to sneak onto the island."

"Intruders, surely you don't mean the T'ien Ti, my prince?"

Zuko hesitated for a second, wondering if he should tell the Captain when his uncle did not know about Lee's treachery.

"Yes, Captain." spoke Katara. "There's a possibility that the T'ien Ti will try to infiltrate this island, if they haven't already. Send your ships out to patrol the territory that you have been allotted. Make sure that you guard all entryways into the base and the roads that lead to the Yu Yan territories. You may also want to keep some soldiers on standby; you never know when you might need them."

Zuko felt warm with pride and he had to fight the urge to grin like a maniac in front of his men.

_To be in the presence of this fantastic woman is a reward in of itself _he thought.

The Captain did not move from his spot, his face was creased into a frown, obviously not pleased about being ordered by a foreign woman.

"You have your orders, Captain," growled Zuko. "Make sure you do them as if your life depended on it."

Perhaps it was the way the prince spoke, perhaps it was the scowl on the scarred face, or maybe it was the sheer weight of authority that the prince carried, but the Captain went from a stubborn, authoritative figure to a bumbling idiot in a heartbeat.

"O-o-f course, my prince."

The captain stumbled away, determined to get away from the scowling prince.

"Captain!" roared Zuko.

"Y-y-yes, my prince?"

"You did not acknowledge the Master Waterbender, nor greet her, where are your manners!"

The captain bowed low at the waist.

"O-o-of course my prince, forgive me Mistress, for not acknowledging you as you arrived, welcome to the Fire Nation base of the Yu Yan Islands."

Katara nodded, with a small smile on her face.

"Do your best, Captain"

"O-of course, mistress"

The Captain bowed to Zuko again.

"My, prince"

"Captain!"

The captain turned around again.

"Y-y-yes, my prince?"

"Do not refer to me as 'my prince' again, its either 'your highness' or 'my lord'"

"Of course… my lord."

As the captain scrambled away, the prince turned towards the Katara. "The way that captain was looking at you, I'm surprised you didn't have a whip with you."

Zuko shrugged dismissively.

"Sometimes, it's the only way to get something out of these men," he said. "But my concern is with the Yu Yan, they haven't done anything as of yet, that could only mean two things"

Katara nodded in understanding.

"One, they've decided to trust the captain's word and wait or Two-"

"They could be mounting a massive assault," concluded Zuko. "We have to reach them as soon as possible."

For a moment, the prince expected Katara to protest, but the waterbender nodded as if she was expecting him to say that.

"I think you know better than me just how dangerous this is?"

"I do," said the prince . "But I can't just sit back and do nothing, my uncle and my nation, are counting on me"

"And I hope you realize that I won't let you go alone either." finished Katara, as if she had never heard the prince.

Zuko sighed, and nodded in defeat, he had hoped to bring Katara for a mission of words, but it would seem that they were getting much more than was expected.

"I know better than to stop you" he said, with a small smile. "We will leave as soon as possible."

* * *

_'_


	27. The Path Decided by Fate

_A/N: I sincerely apologize for my absence over these months, a note will be put up at the end of Chapter 27 (which is coming soon) Just to let you guys know the pace of the story will be a lot faster from here on end, so brace yourself. So here's a summary of what has happened in my story thus far so that you wouldn't be lost. _

**Note: This summary is for those who may have forgotten what has happened in previous chapters, if anyone has been reading continously or doesn't need the summary then feel free to skip it. **_  
_

_It has been two years since the end of the war and much has happened since then. The gang went its ways, Zuko returned to the Fire Nation where he handed the throne to Iroh and went on a journey to rebuild his country city by city, Katara and Sokka returned to the South Pole where they helped rebuild their tribe, while Suki returned to Kyoshi Village to help watch over its growing prosperity, Aang and Toph continued to travel throughout the Earth Kingdom trying to help the country heal in the wake of the war and solve other disputes. _

_Despite the turmoil in his personal life, Zuko managed to keep going with his plan of rebuilding the Fire Nation's economy, with the Lieutenant the Dragon Regiment and Captain of the Royal Guard, Xiu Lee, Zuko travelled to North Chung-Ling where he surpressed a revolt when people where enraged over the corruption of the governor. Zuko then travelled to Sozin, receiving word that it was about to be attacked by rebels, only to find out that it is in ruins and the people helpless refugees. The prince gets himself captured after he failed to infiltrate the rebel's fortress within the Dai Chi Mountains and is held prisoner, escaping only at the mercy of a sympathiser, Dragon regiment strained by a lack of resources, no help and burdened by refugees is defeated by rebels. _

_Zuko returns to the capital, where he tells Iroh what has happened and plans to move to Shu Jing (Piandao's village) to get information about the rebel group revealed to be the T'ien Ti. But before he can go, an attempt on his life renders him unconsicous. Iroh summons Team Avatar and Zuko is reunited with Katara. Iroh reveals an unexpected twist, the Yu Yan, united under a man known as Kharghan Khan is now demanding independence from the Fire Nation. Aang states that he has lost his connection to his past lives and the Avatar State. Katara and Zuko go to the Yu Yan Islands to negotiate, Aang and Toph go the Dragon Pagodas to find out what has happened to the Avatar State, while Sokka and Suki stay with Iroh and help him with his research. Lee and Mai (summoned by Iroh) were sent to investigate the city of Niu Chegnshi._

_ However, halfway through their journey, Zuko and Katara were betrayed by Lee and they barely escaped an ambush in the city. The duo plan on moving on to meet the leader of the Yu Yan. Meanwhile, after hours of research, Sokka and Suki helped Iroh discover the origins of the T'ien Ti. It was once a peaceful group of Fire Sages that pleaded with the Fire Lord to give the people a better life, how they became militant remains an unanswered question. With this knowledge Iroh plans on returning to Capital to put down the T'ien Ti once and for all. _

* * *

_**Chapter 26 - The Path Decided by Fate  
**_

The Yu Yan was on the threshold of a new era, one that promised unprecedented peace and prosperity for its people. However, the path towards peace had been a difficult one, for the pages of Yu Yan history told a tragic story of hostility and bloodshed

The Yu Yan was once divided into five tribes, led by warriors whose eyes never saw beyond their personal glory. The tribes fought relentlessly, driven by a burning desire to dominate each other. For centuries, innocent blood was split, lands plundered and ancient conflicts sparked like dying embers in the presence of hot air. The war continued and it would take an invasion by the expanding Fire Nation to give them a cause to unite. The presence of fire and steel was an unprecedented threat to all that was Yu Yan. Hence, the leaders had no choice but to put aside tribal differences and unite under a common banner. The war between the Fire Nation and the Yu Yan continued, until a ceasefire was agreed upon. It had been centuries since tribal differences were fought over and the Yu Yan had significantly changed since then. Generations of trade and intermarriage blended customs of different tribes, Yu Yan culture was no longer a cause for conflict but a source of unity. During the Hundred Year War, the Yu Yan agreed to fight for the Fire Nation though their skills were never used to their greatest potential. At the end of the war, when the Fire Nation retreated to rebuild, the Yu Yan turned towards one leader, drawn by his charisma and strength, until he superseded other tribal leaders as the one who lorded over all the tribes. Though there were four tribal leaders, each one of whom had their own legion of men to command, one man, calling himself the Kharghan Khan superseded all of them in authority.

Yet, despite the changes, tribal hostility persisted through the ages, the bitter rendition of nationalism lurked in the dark waiting to swoop down on unsuspecting prey.

Zuko stared at the man who called himself leader of all the Yu Yan tribes. The Khan seemed to be in his late thirties, a thin, tall man with a solid physique. His dark eyes gleamed with shrewdness but there seemed to be no malice in his gaze, as he observed the prince and the waterbender before him. Zuko had learnt that there were two types of leaders, one was firm but benevolent, stubborn but insightful, the sort of man who found joy in disciplining one's desires. Then, there was the other, ruthless and reckless, indulging in his own desires with unrestrained gluttony causing chaos for those around him. The question on Zuko's mind was, what type of leader was the Khan?

"I thank you, Great Khan for meeting us on such short notice," said Zuko.

The Khan nodded at the prince's words.

"What sort of man would I be to disrespect the prince of the Fire Nation? It would be incredibly….. _dishonourable._"

Zuko fought the impulse to curl his mouth into a grimace.

_'He's trying to play on my sense of honour,' _he thought to himself. _'I will not rise to his bait.'_

"I understand. We have much to discuss,"

"Then please,"

The Khan gestured to the thick carpet and assortment of cushions. Zuko and Katara sat down, adopting rather stiff positions with their backs straight, knees tucked underneath them and hands folded.

A tense silence permeated the air, both sides knew what the other wanted but neither willing to compromise. The silence was a battle for control of the talks, whoever spoke first, would break. Zuko could not lose and he had no intention of doing so. The silence continued broken only by the occasional 'gulp' as the Khan drank from a wooden cup. While the prince and the waterbender were stiff like statues, the Khan was relaxed in his own home, in the heart of his territory. The Khan sat with his long, sinewy legs crossed with elbows resting on his knees. A cup in one hand which he used to drink a sort of wine Zuko had never smelt or tasted before. There was a lazy arrogance about his posture that bordered on disrespectful. The prince glared at the Yu Yan leader, wondering how long they were going to play this game when the silence was broken by a loud horn, it blared across the air, making the hair on the back of Zuko's neck stand up.

Beside him, Katara jumped to her feet, while the prince turned to glare at the Khan.

"What's going on here?"

The prince could not explain it but somehow he knew that the horn was not good news or expected by the Khan, but the leader of the Yu Yan did not look fazed, as he sipped from his cup.

"I am being double crossed,"

For a split second, Zuko was convinced that he was joking, the man seemed far too relaxed with his cup and lazy posture to be betrayed at a time, when he was confident of his hold on the tribes, confident enough to demand sovereignty from the Fire Lord.

"You seem pretty relaxed for a man being betrayed," said Katara, her hands hovered over her waterskins, as if expecting opponents to leap out of nowhere.

"Simply because I was expecting it," came the candid reply.

Zuko's mind made the connections and he felt a violent urge to pummel the man senseless.

"You used me!" he snapped. "You used me to draw out rebels!"

"I did not use you," said the Khan, as if he was a professor lecturing his students. "I knew there were dissenters and the best way to draw them out was to make them _think_ I was being confident enough to request sovereignty from the Fire Lord. Little do they know that their insurrection is part of my plan,"

"Plan for what?" hissed Katara, scowling at the tall Yu Yan.

"To root out the rebels," said the Khan. "The only thing I did not expect was your arrival, Prince Zuko."

"What were you expecting?" snapped the prince, feeling extremely foolish and angry.

He had come here believing that he had to stabilise a Fire Nation frontier only to find out that the Khan had been playing a game. The leader of the Yu Yan seemed to be no different than the backstabbing nobles who plagued his court, he may lack the eloquence, but the Khan had the scheming mind for it.

"A scout, a messenger or maybe an ambassador but I never thought that the Fire Nation royals would take this issue so seriously as to visit me in person,"

Zuko took a deep breath, everything was changing so fast and he needed time to think.

'_I need to tell Uncle,' _he thought to himself. _'I need to get out of here and send word to Uncle_.'

"Do you have a way out?"

The Khan nodded and got to his feet, "There is a secret passage, hurry time is short."

* * *

"Master Qui, I have a few questions."

"Just Shu Qui, Avatar Aang, I'm not a Master, yet."

"Only if you stop calling me 'Avatar Aang,"

"Very well, Aang, what is your question?"

"What is this place we are travelling to?"

"The Grand Master has asked me to take you to the islands called the Dragon Isles, land created from the ashes of Agni and Kai, it houses the coveted Pagodas,"

"Okay, Why do we have to travel by boat when I can get us there by waterbending?"

Aang saw the woman smile, as if she had been expecting the question.

"Indeed, it would be much easier to get there through bending, but the Dragon Isles aren't like other islands. It's a sacred place, Avatar, the spirits protect it and make sure that those with harmful intent do not trespass its grounds,"

Aang nodded, the spirits always guarded their knowledge, Wong Shi Tong was an unpleasant reminder of that.

"Tell me more about this place," said Aang, as Shu Qui she moved back and forth with the oars. "I mean, General Iroh told me that it was the closest thing to the Spirit Oasis in the North Pole but…"

"You need more information?"

"Yeah,"

"The dragons, Aang were once revered creatures, the original, the most powerful and for a time, the only firebenders in this world until Agni and Kai passed down the gift to people. Their knowledge in the art of bending is vast, but not justin bending the realms of the spiritual are no mystery to them, they have knowledge that make many great spirits green with envy,"

"I'm not too sure spirits can turn green,"

Shu Qui turned around and threw Aang a look of barely constrained annoyance.

"The point I am trying to make, Aang," said Shu Qui, "Is that if there is any place that you can discover why you have lost your connection to the Avatar State it would be at the Dragon Pagodas, even though Agni and Kai have been killed and their bodies turned to ash, their spirits still live on, a powerful entity trapped between the Spirit world and the physical realm."

Aang turned his eyes away from Shu Qui and gazed at the faceless water that sloshed insolently against the boat. The airbender pondered the nature of the spirits he would meet, unlike waterbending, the art of bending fire was no peaceful matter, a well-intentioned gesture from a benevolent dragon had descended into a cesspool of war and violence. What should have been one of man's greatest achievements had been tainted by bloodshed, while waterbenders praised the benefactors of their powers, the firebenders turned on their former masters, slaughtering them like animals rendering the sacrifice by Agni and Kai useless. Could these dark events have festered within the spirits a deep, dark contempt for humanity and hence, would they refuse to coperate? Or would Aang's status as the Avatar be sufficient to grant him the answers he needed?

"You're concerned about the Spirits, are you not?"

"Do you read minds as a hobby?" asked Aang, with a small smile.

"No, anyone would have your concerns had they been in your position," said Shu Qui, "And I do not blame you, my people have never done right by the dragons. Agni and Kai, the ones who passed down the gift of fire to us have no reason to be pleased."

A heavy feeling fell on Aang's shoulders and he almost sagged under the oppressive weight of apprehension clouding his mind. Aang averted his eyes, this time, to the sleeping form of Toph slumped against the other end of the boat, to ease the pain of travelling Aang had put her to sleep, rather against her will, she would be furious with him once she came about but Aang could not bring himself to watch her suffer on a lengthy, ardous earthbender was silent her eyes closed in peace, she offered no words of comfort but her presence seemed to strengthen Aang's resolve.

"The Avatar is said to be the bridge between the Spirit world and the physical world, but I really have no idea how spirits think or why they do what they do," said Aang. "But I hope Agni and Kai will help me… no, they _will _help me one way or the other."

"What makes you so sure?"

Aang shrugged, "Because I have to be believe they do,"

Shu Qui nodded in understanding, "Your strength is admirable, Aang, I see why the Grand Master holds you in such high esteem. I sincerely hope that you succeed in obtaining what it is that you seek."

She paused and her gaze followed Aang's to the rising sun.

"With each day the sun rises, we inch ever closer towards chaos. I can feel it in my bones, Aang, a battle is coming and its outcome will depend on your encounter with Agni and Kai,"

* * *

It was incredibly ironic to be looking down at peaceful pastures of green hills and a rising sun that banished the darkness of night, while heading towards a city that would surely be consumed in chaos. An air balloon drifted across the clear skies, at a lazy pace as if almost reluctant to move of its own free will, preferring to be carried away by the wind. This incredibly slow pace was an irritant to a certain Water Tribe warrior who was running about on the deck, trying to invent ways of making the balloon move faster.

"You know, we _could _add an engine of some sort," muttered Sokka, "But then, what would be the ideal location…."

His mind was a firework display of ideas, random thoughts jumping to his attention at bursts and flares. An excellent distraction from the problem that ground his whirring mind to a halt.

"What if, what if we don't need an engine? How about wings? Wings like a bird!"

Sokka held out his arms parallel to his shoulders and began to jog around.

"Yeah, we can fix engines so that it can flap just like birds and…. is that even possible? I can only imagine the cogs and screws I have to get, What sizes? Where do I place them, how do I build this thing? How do birds fly anyway?" H

is ramblings were cut off by a light giggle behind him and turned around to see Suki hiding a smile behind her hand.

"Uh…. hi," said Sokka, "I was just…."

His mind could not think of any words to explain his actions.

"Wondering how birds fly?" asked Suki, amusement evident in her tone.

"What? No! I mean, I was just thinking about how I can… and then I just…"

Sokka's shoulders slumped as he admitted defeat.

"Yeah, thought about how birds fly,"

Suki continued to giggle at her boyfriend's antics, feeling the need to redeem some dignity Sokka tried to defend his actions.

"It's not funny, you know," he muttered.

Suki's giggling faded though her smile did not budge an inch.

"You shouldn't be worried if I laugh at the way you do things," she said. "I find it cute how you get caught up in your work,"

_Cute! I'm supposed to be a charming hunk, not cute! _

Sokka's mind may have been focused on his image, but his lips expressed the feelings in his heart.

"I worry because you're special to me,"

Silence was restored as the young couple fell into their broodings, Sokka's words unintentional as they were, had brought back into sharp focus the very thing that the two of them had tried to avoid: Their troubled relationship.

The warrior sighed and gazed around, the air balloon was something to be proud of, it had given man the capacity to do something that only spirits and birds were capable of, something deemed impossible only a few years ago. How could Sokka use the brain capable of inventing the inconceivable and use it to repair his love life?

_'But relationships aren't like inventions, aren't they?'_

This wasn't something that could be solved by some tinkering here and there. You could not return to the drawing board when things had gone wrong because people were not drawn on blue prints.

"Sokka, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Do you trust me?"

The question caught Sokka by surprise and he whirled around to face her.

"What? You? I…"

Sokka paused searching for the answer, Suki did not move, she did not speak, she only waited for her boyfriend to answer.

"I… Yeah, I do."

"Then please listen to me, there's a lot we need to work on, I know that, but right now, Iroh needs us, _I _need you to focus that brilliant mind of yours on putting down this rebellion."

Sokka nodded with a grin, he was only too happy to put this burning issue behind him and focus on familiar territory.

"We're going to clean up Iroh's hometown for him," said Suki, with a fierce grin. "And its going to be a lot of hard work."

The balloon suddenly lurched, Sokka lost his footing and he stumbled.

"What happened?" gasped Suki. "Are we landing?"

Sokka looked down, a green, pastoral landing between two hills seemed to be rising up at them but they were nowhere near the capital.

"It looks like we are," said Sokka, gazing down at the land below, while clinging to the railings.

"But why here?"

"It never hurts to be careful."

The warrior whirled around to see the benign figure of Iroh, his hands folded into the sleeves of his robes with a calm smile that made him look years younger. It was hard to believe that he was going to deal with a capital city that was engulfed in chaos. Suki glanced at the ground below before looking back at the Fire Lord with a small smile. Sokka glanced down then back at Iroh before he understood.

"It is crucial that the T'ien Ti do not know I have arrived until after I have entered the city and made contact with the White Lotus." explained Iroh.

The balloon descended slowly and with it the calm façade of the Fire Lord was fading away, a look of consternation marred his wrinkled face, as he stroked his chin in contemplation.

"Soon, my friends," he muttered. "One way or the other, we will resolve this conflict once and for all."

* * *

The Dragon Isles was created from the ashes of the fabled dragons Agni and Kai following their deaths after a duel that was to decide the fate of all firebenders. It was said, that even though their bodies were gone, their spirits remained, a vessel of ancient knowledge that could not be found anywhere else. Shrouded in a thick mist of isolation, the air of the Dragon Isles permeated antiquity. The trees had a thick bark larger than a saber-tooth mouse lion and its foliage was golden brown like a ripe avocado-pear. The sun was at it's zenith, an orb of power that coloured the skies with exotic colours of orange and red while a cool wind blew across the island, ruffling the emerald grass at Aang's feet. The airbender could not help but notice the beauty of the Isles, and he noted how ironic it seems that such natural beauty was born out of great pain and sacrifice. There seemed to be a fragile beauty about the Isles and the airbender felt that his presence on the island was violating the serene atmosphere.

"There's… nothing" whispered Toph,she was so caught up in her surroundings that she forget to punish Aang for putting her to sleep through the boat riding.

Aang could sense that she was uneasy and he could not blame her. There was no sign of life apart from the trees and bushes that peppered the landscape, but to someone like himwho was attuned to the Spirit World; this place was crawling with life, ethereal beings that lived out of reach for the human senses. It occurred to Aang how he and Toph saw this place so differently.

"I won't say nothing but I see your point," said Aang.

The airbender knew that the spirits of the great dragons Agni and Kai resided in whatever it was beyond the forest. Aang took a deep breath to strengthen his resolve, before turning to Toph.

"Are you ready?"

The earthbender cocked her head in his direction and for a moment Aang thought that she was going to say something. The airbender was so focused on what she might say that he failed to notice her hand moving, he jumped in surprise as he felt Toph's warm but firm hand close around his own. Aang felt a surge of reassurance at her touch and he squeezed her hand gently. Toph's cheeks turned scarlet and she quickly removed her hand and punched him hard on the shoulder.

"Let's go, before you wet your pants, you little pansy."

* * *

"Why does the universe hate me?"

"Pipe down Sokka," hissed Suki. "It's not that bad."

"You say that when you've crawled through tunnel filled with slimy slush, twice!" he bit back.

The tunnel was nothing but a void of darkness that pressed down on Sokka's eyes, the walls felt wet to touch and a dank stench hung about the air. Iroh had led them here after they had landed the air balloon, it was not a tunnel in the sewers (for which Sokka was grateful for) but it was still a tunnel located underground, damp, dark and gloomy. The general led the group, holding a small, flickering fire in his hands, which was the only relief from the darkness, followed by Suki, who did not seem to be enjoying the situation anymore than Sokka was.

"My apologies to both of you," said Iroh. "But the T'ien Ti have caught me off guard more times than I'd like to admit and I would like to return the favour."

"Well, spoken General." chuckled Suki.

"Speak for yourself," muttered Sokka, causing Suki to turn and scowl at him in the dim light of the fire that Iroh held.

Iroh came to an abrupt halt over what seemed to be a simple black space. The Fire Lord took a deep breath and blew gently on the space above his head, each time Iroh did this, the temperature in the tunnel seemed to rise. A gleaming red lotus appeared on the pitch black surface of the tunnel. Iroh raised his hand and pressed his figure against the glowing symbol. The general's touch seemed to have activated some sort of mechanism, a green glow originated from the tip of Iroh's finger and the lotus changed from red to green. When the lotus had changed colours it grew even larger and expanded. The lotus grew until it's diameter was twice the size of a man's waist. The green colour faded away and with it, a gaping hole appeared in the wall, there were steel rungs on the edge forming a rudimentary ladder. Sokka let out a low whistle.

"Neat."

"After you," said Iroh.

Suki smiled at him and began to climb the ladder with the lithe grace that befitted a Kyoshi Warrior, Sokka quickly followed. Suki was already waiting for him and she held up a hand to help him up. Sokka grabbed her hand and was pulled to the surface.

The warrior found himself in a small, dank alleyway bordered by a long line of fragile, wooden houses that seemed to be on the verge of collapse. There were small puddles scattered across the alley like a swamp, a dank smell of moss reached Sokka's nostrils and he cringed in both disgust and surprise.

"Out of all places to set up a base, this _is it_?"

"An inconspicuous location has many benefits, Master Sokka," said Iroh as he came out of the hole, "One of them is you won't run the risk of being found out."

"Hey, I'm not complaining about the camouflage," said Sokka. "But couldn't you do something about the smell?"

"The smell is part of the camouflage," said Iroh.

The Fire Lord then took two steps towards a worn door and knocked on it twice. "Who goes there?"

"I."

A brief pause, during which Sokka glanced nervously at Suki.

_'Don't they have a code?' _He mouthed to her, at least that was the impression he gathered from Zuko, Suki merely shrugged back. An indistinct noise followed by someone opening a latch, and a pair of golden brown eyes peered at the three of them, the eyes widened at the sight of Iroh.

"Sir!" he whispered, the eyes disappeared with the closing of the latch.

Sokka could hear the locks being taken down before the door opened. A tall young man with light brown skin and dark hair tied in a topknot appeared at the entrance. Iroh nodded at the man before entering while Sokka and Suki quickly followed . The warrior found himself in a small, sparse room with little furniture save for a few chairs and a table in the corner. It was to Sokka, the least habitable settlement that he had ever seen in his life. Sokka turned to Iroh who was beaming at him.

"General, what-"

"Hello, Sokka."

Master Piandao was standing in a corner of the room, his hands clasped behind his back and a small smile on his face. Despite his neat appearance, he looked distinctly careworn, lines had etched themselves into a once youthful face, as if he had aged over the past few days. But Sokka noticed none of these things, all he knew was that he was finally meeting his master after a very long time. Sokka ran up to his mentor with the excitement of small boy and enveloped him in a hug. Piandao returned the hug half-heartedly, slightly embarrassed about his student's open display of affection.

"It's good to see you, Master Piandao."

"Welcome to the Order of the White Lotus, my student,"

* * *

The sunlight nearly blinded Zuko as he stumbled out of the passageway. Katara followed him out of before turning around and observing the wall they had just walked out of.

"Katara, what are you doing?" questioned the prince.

"Help me close this passage; we can't have anyone finding out."

The words had no sooner escaped her mouth when the gaping hole in the wall began to close all by itself. The benders now found themselves staring at a stone wall where they had been an exit from a secret tunnel.

"I never knew the Yu Yan were so… sophisticated."

Zuko shrugged, "Me neither," he muttered. "But we have to leave."

Katara turned around to face him her eyes glowing with intent, Zuko immediately knew that he was going to be dealing with a very stubborn waterbender. "Zuko, we can't just leave, we're in the middle of a coup, people's lives are in danger,"

"_I know that!_" snapped Zuko, trying and failing to control his temper. "I know that, it's just… my people are in danger as well."

The waterbender sighed, "I know," she said. "But can you really just turn your back, _knowing _what's going on here?"

Zuko sighed and turned away, he suddenly felt very tired, his head was throbbing, as he struggled to keep up with events that were changing at a mind boggling pace. Had it really been three days since he had left Piandao's castle when his biggest concern was making sure that Katara and Mai did not fight? Zuko was no stranger to change but now he was being relentlessly assaulted with political twists and his mind was struggling to keep up.

"Zuko, are you okay?"

Katara's gentle hand on his shoulder pulled the prince out of his reverie.

"Katara, my uncle needs to know what's going on, I can't just-"

He suddenly stopped talking, his lips slightly parted, his entire body went rigid.

"Zuko, what-"

The prince held up a hand to silence the waterbender, he needed to pick up the noise, if only he could just...

_'There!' _

Zuko's eyes landed on a bush that quailed ever so slightly under his glare. Zuko glanced at Katara, the look she gave him, meant that she understood what the prince was trying to tell her.

The two benders moved quickly.

Katara whipped out water from her pouch and formed a circle around the green shrubbery, as Zuko moved swiftly towards the bush. The water surrounding the bush manifested into a thick block of ice. A small, dark figure yelped and leapt out of the thicket of green leaves. Zuko grabbed the person by the collar and slammed him onto the ground. The prince glared down at the man who had been spying on him and recoiled in surprise. The man had pale skin and beady brown eyes and was glaring at him with barely veiled resentment.

_'He's Fire Nation!' _

"Who are you working for?" snapped Zuko.

The man's pale lips curved into a sneer.

"No one, I work for myself,"

Zuko he raised his fist to beat the man. Before he could do so, the prince felt cool fingers wrap around his wrist.

"Let me, Zuko."

The prince turned around and looked at his companion. Katara's eyes seemed to be glowing as she glared daggers at the man who had been spying on them.

"Do you know who I am, stranger?"

"You're the Avatar's waterbender," snapped the spy and he spat at Katara's feet.

A righteous fury seized Zuko and he drew back his fist and punched the man right across the jaw. Their prisoner cried out in pain, but Zuko did not give him time to recover, he punched his captive again. This time the spy did not cry out in pain, though a trickle blood began to dribble from the corner of his mouth.

"Look here," T

he spy, now subdued by Zuko's beating, glanced up at the waterbender, whose gaze was now fixed on a little plant at her feet. Katara raised her hand and moved her wrist and fingers, as if she was beckoning someone to approach her. Zuko knew that she was calling forth water. _'What is she up to?'_

The prince tightened his grip on the prisoner and began to watch the waterbender. "Every living thing has water inside it, did you know that?" Katara continued her hand motion, her eyes still focused on the plant.

"And as a waterbending master, I can easily call out the water in _any _living thing."

Katara cupped her hand and raised it, a large droplet of water ascended from the plant, and what was once a vibrant, colourful flower was now black and lifeless.

"I can do it with plants, I can do it to animals… and I can do it to you."

"You crazy witch." gasped the spy, his beady eyes were wide with panic, he struggled against Zuko's rough grip but the prince was too strong.

"Perhaps," conceded the waterbender. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're alone, there's no one to stop us and no one can save you."

It took all of Zuko's self control not to gawk at her in surprise. Katara had changed, her eyes usually sparkling with life was now cold and lifeless, as if the warmth had been snatched away by a cold wind. The rogue was bleeding from his mouth, a thin trail of dark blood flowing down his cheek like a tiny scarlet river.

"I can make you choke on your own blood, cough it out, make it seep out through your eyes or your fingernails, your entire body is in my hands... shall I give a demonstration?"

Katara raised her hand and the riverlet of blood froze, The prisoner who had only seconds ago been fearlessly gloating was now reduced to pathetic blubbering fool.

"W-wait, stop! Tell me what you want! I-I-I'll do anything! Just don't hurt me!"

Zuko seized the chance.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" "I am with the T'ien Ti, we were sent here to disrupt the peace mission between the prince and the Khan and to support the rebels." gasped the rouge, who seemed determined to reveal as much information as was possible.

Zuko's grip on the man's scruff tightened as his mind quickly drew conclusions.

"Who's leading you?" he snapped. The rouge shook his head.

"I don't know much, all I know is that he was really close to the prince."

'_Lee, he knew I was coming here.' _

If Lee was here to support the rebellion against the Khan then the T'ien Ti would gain a powerful ally in their fight against the Royal Family.

'_How long was Lee with the T'ien Ti to have become their leader? What was his reason for joining them? How could the T'ien Ti have known about this rebellion?'_

"Zuko."

The prince glanced up at his friend, she understood him well and he did not have to say anything. If the T'ien Ti were here, then leaving the island was out of the question. They would have to stay in the Yu Yan Islands, in the heart of enemy territory.

* * *

After what seemed like ages spent wondering the island, they had finally come to a thick forest with large trees that seemed to be embracing each other, thick, gnarled roots jutted out of the soil like dolphins leaping over the surface of the water. Aang felt a strong wave of spiritual energy threatening to overwhelm him, ignoring it was like trying to ignore the aroma of egg custards. It was confirmation beyond all doubt that he was at the right place,.

The duo navigated through the woods, with Toph muttering incomprehensibly about the trees, Aang choose not to pay attention to what she was saying, his mind more preoccupied with what might have happen. The duo came to a small clearing amidst the woods where grass gave way to a smooth, marble floor that created a large Yin Yang symbol. Aang could feel a strong, assertive presence in the clearing, a shadowy figure that danced beyond the periphery of his vision and teased his senses. The airbender knew that the dragons were waiting for him. All at once, his uncertainties melted away and he took a step forward, he knew what he had to do and with most journeys in the Spirit World he had to do it alone.

"Toph, you can't come with me."

"What! Why not?"

"Because I don't know what will happen." said Aang.

"Hey! You're not just-"

"Toph, please listen to me. This isn't the Spirit World, I don't know what it is exactly, but I'm sure I will be entering the Dragon's realms, I don't know what they might do or say, but if something were to happen to you… I will be powerless to stop them.

" A tense moment passed by as Toph contemplated Aang's words.

"Fine, you're the expert," she moved away and bended a stump to sit on. "But if something happens I'm pulling you out of there, no questions asked."

Aang smiled at her. "I'm counting on it."

Aang took a deep breath and stepped onto the platform and made his way towards the centre of the circle, as if he was wading through water. The smooth floor beneath his feet felt warm almost like a hot spring making him more comfortable. The monk sat down and followed the motions of meditation that were now ingrained into his subconscious; he crossed his legs and took a deep breath clearing his mind of all thought. The monk knew that he was in the realm of beings more powerful than he was and that it was his duty to wait for them.

The darkness suddenly gave way to a low, thick mist.

"_Avatar"_

A low rumbling voice echoed in Aang's head, as if two people were speaking at the same time, the voices of a man and woman, blending into one another in a smooth tone that both transfixed and unnerved Aang.

"_We have been expecting you."_

'Are you Agni and Kai?' asked Aang. _'_

_Indeed, we are the the ones who made a great sacrifice to ensure that our people would not shed their blood.' _

'I have come to seek your help'

Suddenly, two dragons appeared before Aang, one was gleaming white while the other was black. The airbender had not forgotten how fearsome dragons could be and the two in front of him were no exception.

"_Our island stores knowledge of the world beyond your sight,"_ hissed the androgynous voice "_Power from time immemorial, long have people sort our secrets and long have we guarded them from those have sought it, but you Avatar, you are an exception. Your concern is a concern for the balance between the Spirits and the Living." _

'It concerns the Avatar State, and more importantly, my connection to my past lives. I've lost it… and I need to know what happened so I can get it back.'

"_Are you ready to fine answers?"_

Aang nodded, 'I'm ready for whatever comes.'

The dragons raised their tails and touched Aang's forehead, the airbender's vision was clouded by a bright, white light… smoke clouds as thick as towers billowed into skies splattered with violent shades of orange and red, as a comet blazed a path through the stratosphere as a forest burnt to cinders. Aang could remember this scene; he could still feel the suffocating air swirl around him and the atmosphere crackle with lightening. This was the day of Sozin's Comet, the dawn of reckoning that Aang could still remember in flashes of nightmares. "Why am I here?" A loud noise like an explosion followed by a plume of fire caught Aang's attention.

"Come on out, Avatar!"

A cold voice that mocked his youth and legacy rattled his bones. The airbender never thought that he would have to hear _his _voice again.

"You can't hide in there forever!"

Aang could see it; at the bottom of a valley was a large mound of rock weakening under the relentless assault of a power crazed man

. '_I don't want to see this, why am I here?' _

Aang watched helplessly as Ozai finally broke through his last defence and with an ear-splitting explosion sent him flying into the base of a cliff. Aang knew what had happened next, the moment he had entered the Avatar State, the moment when the battle for the fate of the world swung in his favour.

A ghostly figure appeared atop the hill, only a few meters from where Aang stood, tall and lean in long flowing robes, the old man had a sad, forlorn gaze fixated on the battle below. Aang recognised immediately the man.

"Roku!" he cried, running up to him. "Roku, I.."

Aang's voice (and his excitement) died as he realized that his predecessor could not hear him.

"Aang…" Roku's voice was soft but it carried clearly across to him. "In the end, you were too stubborn."

"What do you mean?" whispered Aang, but Roku was not talking to him, nor did he acknowledge the young airbender, his eyes were still on the scene of the beaten twelve-year-old being held by the scruff of his neck by a sneering Fire Lord.

"This must be done, Aang," said Roku, "We will be punished, but it will be worth it in the end."

"What must be done?" asked Aang.

He glanced at Roku, then at the battle, then at Roku again. Then, slowly, his mind began to make the connections. The truth washed over him like a wave of ice leaving his mind numb.

"No…"

Roku closed his eyes for a brief moment, when he opened them again, they were glowing blue, he raised his hands above his head, a blue orb took shape, hovering inches over his long, thin fingers.

"No, Roku, don't!"

The vision faded to a thick fog, Aang could see no more than twenty centimetres beyond the tip of his nose.

"_Do you understand now, Avatar?"_

The voices of the dragons returned. Aang's mind was too numb to process the information, but a small voice at the back of his head told him that what he had seen was the truth.

"I never had the Avatar State," he whispered. "On the day of Sozin's Comet, it was Roku who granted me that power, and now…"

From the thick curtains of the mist, the corpulent bodies of the two dragons appeared once again.

"_Avatar Roku granted you the power that you failed to attain on your own," _said the dragons, "_All Avatars are bound by a decree, to never interfere in an era that is not their responsibility. Avatar Roku's actions was a breech of this covenant and in doing so, he was imprisoned and you were separated from your past lives." _

"Imprisonment?" gasped Aang. "But, he doesn't-"

"_He is" _interrupted the dragons, _"A consequence of the choice that he made." _

Aang could feel despair poison his chest and he felt his eyes turn wet with regret.

"What have I done?"

"_Avatar Roku was not ignorant," _said the dragons, "_He was aware of what would happen when he saved your life and he embraced his punishment,_ _all in the hope that you would be the Avatar that he failed to be. Would you shame his resolve with despair?"_

Whether the dragons were trying to console or ridicule him, Aang did not know, but the words had the intended effect and Aang felt his sadness ebb away, as he focused his mind on what had to be done.

"Is it possible for me to regain the Avatar State," he said, "And repay Roku for his sacrifice?"

"_Indeed, Avatar Aang. It is possible to obtain the Avatar State. _

Aang's heart leaped for joy at the prospect of a solution.

"Great! What is it"

The dragons looked at him and for a moment, Aang swore he saw a gleam of amusement of in their eyes.

_'What you will hear, you may not like, Avatar…. _

Toph sat on her self made stump as she waited impatiently for Aang to come out of his state of meditation. The earthbender could sense _something _dense and heavy on the ground, something that felt natural but at the same time did not belong to its environment, but her senses could tell little beyond that. It irked Toph that her feet had failed her, because she was used to sensing the intricate details that nobody else could, from the insects that crawled on the ground to the bats that tried to keep silent, there wasn't anything that could escape her senses, but when it did, it made her feel helpless.

Toph had come here out of loyalty to her friend and fear that something bad might happen, but now that they had made it to their destination unscathed, she wondered if Aang needed her. There were no bad guys, no machines to be destroyed, no fights to get into. Aang seemed pretty confident that everything would work out and he would find the answers he was looking for and the earthbender began to wonder. _Did Aang need her help now? _His earthbending had progressed in leaps and bounds and it made Toph wonder if a time would come when Aang would turn to her and say that her teachings were no longer needed. What would happen to her then?

_'Perhaps I can go back to Gaoling and get back my championship title_.' thought Toph, '_Or maybe I can do some travelling of my own…_'

The idle thoughts left her hollow and empty and she did not like where the line of thought was taking her.

'_Shake it off Champ, shake it off_, _the future is not written in stone, there's still a long way to go._'

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she heard Aang gasp.

"Twinkles?"

"I can't… I just can't do it!"

Aang sounded like he was pleading, almost begging, Toph knew that something had gone wrong and she was filled with the desire to reach him. The earthbender used her sharp hearing to figure out Aang's presence his ragged breathing acting like a beacon, she ventured onto the smooth surface. Toph reached her friend and caressed his cheeks. The tips of her fingers touched something wet and her she felt a spike of anger. _'No one makes my Twinkles cry!_.'

"What happened?" she held up a finger tip that had Aang's tear drop. "Who did this to you? Do you want me to beat them up?"

Aang chuckled wearily, but Toph's words encouraged him to speak.

"The dragons explained what had happened to the Avatar State and how I can get it back."

"What did they say?"

"They said that in order for me to gain the Avatar State I had to learn from my mistakes, mine and Roku's."

The disbelief in Aang's voice clearly indicated that they had asked him to do something he did not want to do. Toph knew nothing about the spirits, but they seemed to enjoy torturing Aang.

"What happened? You can tell me."

"It's Zuko."

It was as if a claw made of ice had reached out and grabbed her heart.

_'Why is Zuko being pulled into this? Doesn't he have enough to deal with?' _

"What about him?"

"I have to kill Zuko. I have to kill him if I want to get the Avatar State back."


	28. Testimony to Truth

**_Chapter 27 – Testimony of Truth_**

For a brief moment, the room was filled with delightful camaraderie as master and student were reunited. Fire Nation citizens were known for their disciplined expression of feelings and Piandao was no exception when greeting his student. But Sokka was having none of it, he threw his arms around the taller man and hugged him like a child greeting his long, lost father. Iroh chuckled in amusement as he watched the reunion with a smile on his face, glad that happiness produced by the reunion of close friends refused to die in the onslaught of troubling times. But such moments, were like beautiful pieces of music, inspired by the heart and soothing to the soul, but doomed to fade with the passage of time. Sokka could not ignore the fact that he was meeting his Master under troubling circumstances and they had to address the situation.

The warm elation that filled the room gradually faded away as the group gathered around the large circular table. Piandao had the largest map Sokka had ever seen in his life placed on the table. For a moment, his eyes glowed with appreciation, as the master swordsmen began to speak.

"Fire Lord Iroh, your absence from the Capital has encouraged the T'ien Ti to be bold and aggressive," he explained, "They have attacked key military and administrative buildings throughout the city, attacking in small groups that appear and disappear abruptly."

A tense silence followed this statement.

"They have targeted key officials throughout the city, district officials who support the Fire Lord, but we have managed to thwart them," explained the master swordsmen."

"Do you think they're trying to take control of the Capital?" asked Suki.

The question had Sokka's mind working furiously and he found himself talking before he could stop himself.

"I don't think that's the case, if they're going for an all out coup, then small mobs attacking district buildings aren't the way to go about it. If you want to take over a city you go for the top of the food chain with all you've got."

"Indeed," agreed Iroh. "In my absence, I left power with the Dragon Council, what has been their reaction to this?"

The mention of the government brought a dark look on Piandao's face, the first visible sign of distaste.

"Weak and indecisive," he said, "The Dragon Council has debated for hours over what sort of action to take, stalling day after day while buildings are burnt and people suffer,"

Iroh hummed to himself as he began to stroke his beard, he did not say anything for a while and there were no signs of anger from him, nor a verbal expression of distaste but there was not a single soul in the room who did not feel the cackle of lightening emitting from the man. Iroh's cool façade was fast reaching its end.

"I did not create the council to be weak in these troubled times," said Iroh, "If they cannot come to a conclusion then it is internal dispute over the ideal solution."

"Perceptive as always Grand Master," replied Piandao. "Jeong Jeong has sent us word that the council cannot decide whether to consider the T'ien Ti a terrorist group or a random street mob."

"But what difference does that make?" asked Suki, with a hint of incredulity in her voice. "These people are destroying your city, shouldn't they be doing _something_?"

"She's right," said Iroh, "While there is a difference between the two, they will both inflict damage that will devastate us. There is a reason why the Council is stalling and it is _not _indecision over what the T'ien Ti is,"

"You suspect traitors," said Piandao, he was not asking a question, but making a statement.

"Indeed, I have long pondered how the T'ien Ti was able to infiltrate the palace and make an attempt on my nephew's life. How were they able to mobilise the manpower from Sozin to the Capital within a span of six days during my absence? I do not think they could have done this alone, someone close to my government or close to the prince has helped them."

The blatant statement of treachery sent chills down Sokka's spine; he had suspected that someone was feeding information in the dark corners of his mind, he had suspected it ever since he heard about the Dragon Regiment's ambush at Sozin, but to hear it stated in such a point blank manner seemed to push it past a point of no return, almost like you said something inappropriate and you could not take back the words .

A sharp, urgent knock on the door interrupted proceedings, Piandao nodded to one of the men standing silently in the corner. Two men moved towards the door, one opened a small hatch the other stood beside it, leaning against the wall with a sword in hand.

"Who goes there?"

"An old friend," called a voice from the other side, "We tasted fruits at the South East Garden."

Piandao nodded and the man opened the door. A young woman walked in, she nodded at the two men guarding the door before bowing to the masters.

"Master Piandao I come with word from Master Jeong Jeong,"

The tension in the room rose at these words, Sokka could feel his heart beat rising with tension.

"Speak," said Iroh.

"The Master has stated that the Council has agreed to pass 'The War Minister's Act,"

Sokka exchanged confused glanced with Suki but Iroh and Piandao exchanged significant looks.

"Did he say when?"

"Today, Interior Minister Yen has stated that he will deal with the T'ien Ti as soon as the act passes."

"The timing is suspicious," muttered the Fire Lord,

"They move to pass the act as soon as you arrive," stated Piandao.

Sokka glanced at the two older men, completely at sea as to what they were talking about.

"What I don't understand is, what does he stand to do with half the army at Sozin? Who could he possibly deal with…."

"What if he doesn't intend to?" spoke Iroh.

"That might be a possibility but then-"

"Whoa, Whoa halt the brakes here!" cried Sokka, "I hate to break up an epiphany but what exactly is the 'War Minister's Act?"

"Sorry about that, Sokka," said Piandao, though the smile on his face indicated that he wasn't so apologetic. "It is a ruling that is extremely important in the world of Fire Nation politics."

"To properly understand the law we will have to explain some background information," said Iroh. "The relationship between me, the Fire Lord and ministers is a precarious one. The Dragon Council is filled with ambitious people always jostling one another to try and stay one step ahead. During the war, it was about conquering territory, now it is all about deceitful games."

He paused to allow his words to sink in.

"In years past, the Fire Lord was usually immune to political intrigue, he was after all, the most powerful bender in the country and one who ruled by divine right. But in recent years, that shield of divinity has cracked, the throne has changed hands to many times in one life time, from Ozai, to Zuko, to myself and very soon it will be back to Zuko."

An image of Zuko dressed in regal robes sitting stiff and upright lording over a council meeting popped into Sokka's mind and he couldn't help but snort in amusement. Suki threw him a hard look that told him to pipe down.

"I'm an old man," continued Iroh. "And I'm seen as vulnerable, hence now the ministers extend their games onto me, trying to weaken my hold on power and this mess with the T'ien Ti has only encouraged them to be bold."

"The relationship between the ministers and General Iroh is a volatile one," added Piandao. "With the reform of government, the ministers have power, _but _the armed forces remain under the command of the Fire Lord and the prince."

"But the War Minister's Act changes all that," said Suki.

The swordsmen nodded in approval,

"Indeed, the act grants the Interior Minister the right to command the armed forces, and therefore, he can declare anyone an enemy of the state."

A tense silence followed these words; a sudden realization had just dawned on the entire group.

"Master, did you just say that should the act pass the Minister will be able to declare _anyone _an enemy of the state?"

Piandao nodded.

"So I guess the question is, which side is the Interior Minister on?" said Suki."Ours or theirs?"

"What are you talking about?" said Sokka, waving his arms to make his point. "He's in Iroh's government he's on our side, right?"

To Sokka's surprise and dismay, Iroh directed his eyes towards the table, a dark, contemplative look on his face.

"I'm not sure."

* * *

Organized chaos, the paradox was the only way Lee could describe what he was seeing in Da Jia, innocent people, women, children and the old were being rounded up like cattle and cramped into rudimentary prison camps that consisted of nothing more than a fence circling muddy ground, with no toilets or places to eat. Lee could see the looks of fear and confusion on their faces but the imposing presence of soldiers willing to kill anyone who voiced protest prevented them from expressing their feelings. Lee glanced around at the foreign buildings and the Yu Yan soldiers who gave him blatant hostile looks. The rouge felt like an alien, alone, unwanted and unwelcome. Even the T'ien Ti, the very group he pledged allegiance to did not trust him, the former lieutenant could see it in the eyes of the men he commanded, seeds of discontent were growing, threatening to explode into a coup. Lee knew that he was acting on borrowed time, as soon as his use to the T'ien Ti wore out they were going to turn on him. Lee needed to act quickly.

"Xiu Lee!"

Lee cringed as Sui called his name.

"What?"

"The tribe leaders want our men to move out and guard the outposts." She reported.

Sui was playing the faithful role of second-in-command, but Lee knew that _she _was spreading the discontent running rampant in the T'ien Ti squad he commanded.

"Fine, do as they say," said Lee. "Our job was to support them, they've got things under control. Now we move to find Prince Zuko."

"Do you think he's still here?"

Lee nodded. "The prince will not turn tail and run," he replied, "Not while this is going on."

For the first time since they began speaking, Lee turned to look at Sui, her resemblance to Mai was unnerving, they shared the same pale face, the same dark, beady eyes, the quaint little nose and the whisper, thin lips. But where Mai's eyes glazed with boredom, Sui's flared with defiance, when Mai's thin arms were folded into the depths of her robes, Sui folded her arms across her chest, her feet spread apart, looking at everyone in the eye.

"Is there anything else that I need to know?"

"No" came the curt reply, but Lee had the impression that Sui was not telling the truth.

"Very well, give the order to move out."

"Of course, sir"

There was a hint of mockery in Sui's words, her eyes glowered with contempt as she bowed and walked away. Lee could feel a tingling in his gut, an uncomfortable sensation that told him that _something_ was happening, like clouds converging for the storm. The bender needed to know what was going to happen and fast.

_'I need to find Mai' _

While Lee had been barking orders, trying to keep the T'ien Ti busy, Mai had silently slipped aside, intercepting letters for Sui, interrogating (and disposing) soldiers and now scouting Yu Yan territory to find out what was happening.

Lee observed his surroundings with keen eyes, Mai would not come to him, he would have to go to her. There were still plenty of people around, for there were prisoners still being shuttled about, but the lieutenant was trained well. Lee scanned the area carefully, his eyes passed over helpless women and fearful children, when he saw what he was looking for. A slim figure in robes of red and black, with a flash of a pale face framed by a black hood, the figure came and disappeared so quickly that Lee would have missed it had he not been looking for her. The figure nodded to him before disappearing into the crowd.

Lee knew where he had to go and he quickly made his way towards what was once a small market, but now remained empty save for a few Yu Yan soldiers who were now treating it as a gathering place. Lee walked past the makeshift barracks towards a large tropical tree that was fairly isolated from the chaos of an imprisoned city, the former lieutenant cast his eyes around looking for people who would be listening, but there was no around. Lee leaned against the rough bark and waited.

"You're doing a terrible job as leader," whispered Mai.

"Well, hello to you too," hissed Lee, partly out of annoyance and partly out of surprise.

"I'm serious, Lieutenant,"

"And I'm being courteous, and its ex-lieutenant,"

"There is serious talk amongst the men of double crossing you,"

"Led by Sui, I know, I'm not blind," snapped Lee. "Something else is happening Mai, I can feel it."

If Mai was annoyed that Lee was addressing her by her first name, she did not show it and he couldn't care less.

"Sui has been in contact with the Junfa," said the noblewoman. "Her job has been to keep an eye on you, I don't know why exactly, but the T'ien Ti's leader seemed more concerned about your loyalty than mine."

"He knows that I work for him on borrowed time," whispered Lee, thoroughly impressed that Mai was able to snoop around despite the tight watch they were both under.

"Did you gather anything else?"

"Yes, one of the Ministers in the Dragon Council is working for the T'ien Ti, he has been ordered to betray Iroh at a certain time."

Lee felt a stab of fear at the thought of the old man being in danger.

"When?"

"Soon,"

'_Doesn't exactly narrow it down_' thought Lee.

"Sui has been receiving updates on what has been happening throughout the Fire Nation," continued Mai, "There is nothing specific in those letters, but by reading several of them I've been able to get a general picture of what has been going on back home while we stuck in this… place,"

Lee nodded,

"Go on,"

"The T'ien Ti have caused a lot of havoc in the Capital and the 'War Minister's Act is about to be passed by the Council."

Lee clenched his fist in agitation, the situation was getting worse with each passing hour.

"How do the Yu Yan fit into this?"

"From the information I've been able to gather, the T'ien Ti were simply supporting the tribal leaders who oppose the Khan to keep them distracted."

Lee shook his head in wonder, so many things were happening at once and hurtling towards a very chaotic conclusion.

"You mean, to make sure that there is no support for the Fire Lord?"

Mai's silence was all the confirmation he needed.

"There's something else, Lee,"

'_Other than what's already happening?_'

"Yeah?"

"It's the Junfa," whispered Mai, "He's coming here, the leader of the T'ien Ti is coming to the Yu Yan Islands."

For a moment, Lee's heart stopped beating, memories of a dark event a life time ago flashed through his mind.

"Did he say why?"

"He left no reason but orders,"

Mai paused, and Lee had the impression that she was studying him.

"He left orders that you're to meet with him,"

Lee clenched his fists as his heart constricted with apprehension,

_'Am I finally going to get answers?_'

Lee turned around and glanced at the pale woman, her eyes had lost that bored look, while she lacked the fire of most girls he had met, she certainly wasn't as cold as stone.

"Lieutenant, why is the Junfa so eager to meet you that he would actually come out of hiding?"

Lee shook his head,

"I don't know the Junfa's real reasons for coming here," he said, "But I do know one thing: Our time is up,"

"Meaning?"

"Get ready Mai, we are leaving soon,"

* * *

While the sun rose to a bustling city filled with optimism and peace, it now set on a prison camp cramped with disillusioned and subdued people. A graveyard could not have been more silent as nobody dared to move or speak. The breeze felt frigid in the tense atmosphere as Yu Yan soldiers of different tribes eyed one another with distaste. There was no full moon tonight, low clouds hung over the city, like a thick veil that prevented any light from passing through. A small camp fire was set up amidst the rubble of what once been a market stall. The coup was surprisingly bloodless, nobody was killed, no one drew weapons, the Khan had simply surrendered his power to malcontent tribal leaders without so much as token resistance.

Katara and Zuko approached a campfire in disguise.

"May we join you?" requested Katara.

_'This is not going to work_' thought Zuko, he was clad in a plain red and black suit, made out of cotton with his face covered by a hood.

It was oddly reminiscent of the suit he used to wear during his days as a refugee. The prince would have been quite comfortable had it not been for the precarious situation they were in. The guards sized their comrades up before nodding, the two guards in disguise sat down slowly.

"Broth?" asked one of the guards, a man with a stocky physique and a round face held up a bowl of a spicy brown liquid. Having eaten and drank with his regiment in the past, Zuko knew that it was polite to accept food when offered, so he accepted the bowl with a nod of thanks, Katara mirrored his act and accepted a bowl as well.

"How goes the patrol?" asked another guard.

"It… went well," said Zuko.

The men around the fire stared at him, feeling the need to be more convincing, he added.

"Nothing's going on out there,"

"You mean nothing _interesting_ happened," spoke a guard, in a deep gruff voice, he had a broad, thick build that made him resemble a human fortress. "I came here expecting to see a blood bath, people dying, women screaming, buildings burning, a true battle, you know, but instead what do we get, a pansy leader who gives in without so much as raising a fist, pygmy-bear balls I tell you!"

He spat on the ground to make his point.

"It makes you wonder why the Khan surrendered so willingly, doesn't it?" said Katara.

"Its because he's afraid of us, the T'ien Ti!"

A gloating roar followed this declaration, the prince and the waterbender joined in, but rather reluctantly.

"The Khan may have surrendered," said one of the guards. "But his subordinates put up one heck of a fight, one of the lieutenants took down ten men before we could capture him. Never thought such a skinny guy could do so much damage,"

"I hope you guys put him somewhere secure," said Zuko. "Or he might escape,"

"Nah, no way is he going to escape the west tower, bounded up like that," said the guard. "Isolated from his men, he's helpless."

"There seems to be some confusion over where the soldiers are being held," said Katara. "We saw some men thrown into the camps with the other people, but Chan said they were being held in one of the temples."

"It's a bit of both," spoke the big, gruff guard. "Most of the men have been kept in camps, but some of the most dangerous men have been isolated in the temples. But the T'ien Ti has no business in such things, we were only sent to support the leaders who want the Khan gone, nothing more."

_'I thought they were here to stop me from negotiating with the Khan,_' thought Zuko _'If I was just a small part of their plan, then how long was this coup being planned? Did Lee know about this? Or is he being used?_'

"Well, I think its best that we get going, come on Chung."

Zuko jumped in surprise as he realized Katara was addressing him.

"Patrolling?" he asked.

Katara looked at him, had she not been wearing a mask he was certain that she was rolling her eyes at him.

"Yes, come on." She said, in a slightly annoyed tone. "We still have to patrol the western borders, remember?"

_'West-_. _Oohhh_'

"Yes, of course."

* * *

"You almost blew it," hissed Katara.

"I don't like patrols," defended Zuko. "Besides, you weren't exactly subtle yourself, _Patrol the western borders? Chung?_,"

Katara folded her hands and looked away, "Those guards were giving us really suspicious looks," continued the waterbender. "I hope they don't suspect us."

"It's a disguise Katara, its bound to wear off."

Katara turned to face him, it was impossible to make out her expressions given that she was wearing a mask but Zuko could imagine her raising her eyebrow at him.

"Well, aren't you the pillar of optimism, mister prince,"

"Hard to be optimistic with the way you improvise, _Chung?_"

"Shut up," snapped Katara, "I'm not exactly familiar with Fire Nation names, but that's not the point, we have to get the west tower and free that lieutenant,"

The sound of footsteps approaching forced the waterbender to stop talking, two T'ien Ti men walked passed them and nodded at Zuko and Katara. The prince was surprised that the guards did not ask why he was wearing hood but walking by several T'ien Ti fighters, he noticed that while they generally conformed to the standard red and black tunic, the warriors wore accessories that expressed individuality.

"We need to get to the west tower and free that commander." whispered Katara, "Do you know which direction to go?"

But the prince only shook his head,

They had barely taken two steps when a regiment of soldiers marched towards them.

"You two!" barked a voice.

'_We've been exposed!' _

Zuko clenched his fists, in apprehension. Before he could even flex a muscle, he heard something that he was not expecting.

"The Junfa is here, move your butts!".

Zuko acted on impulse and grabbed Katara's arm.

The prince and the waterbender found themselves being swept into the whirlwind of a crowd. The group of soldiers marched towards a settlement of simple of tents that Zuko could tell was the T'ien Ti camp. The prince could see people running around in tremors of excitement. The prince's sharp ears caught snatches of conversation.

"Why do you think he's here?"

"Is it the Yu Yan?"

"Does that mean that he's ready?"

'_Ready for what?_' Thought Zuko, from all the excitement being generated, the prince understood that the Junfa was a very important person who did not appear frequently before his followers.

'_An underground terrorist group cannot have a large hierarchy, if this… Junfa is so important could he possibly be their leader?' _

The revelation was so startling that it was possible just as it was impossible, possible because it was a logical deduction, impossible because such a chance encounter seemed to be far too random. '_But' _he thought to himself. _'Why would he come here?' _

The Junfa already had men on the island to negotiate with the Yu Yan, what could possibly motivate him to come out of his hiding place, especially when he and his men preferred to operate from the shadows? A burning desire to find answers hit Zuko in the pit of his stomach, thoughts of rescuing the Khan's supporters faded from his mind as his thoughts turned to uncovering the identity of the mysterious leader.

The warriors of the T'ien Ti both bender and fighter were aligned in tight squares, they formed a long, narrow path right down the centre of the camp, shadows spread like large canopies over the ground. The orange light of the torches glowed like the sun, but seemed like tiny pinpricks of light in the background of the trees that loomed menacingly over the tents. Zuko could hear men whispering, their words were too indistinct to make out anything concrete, but they sounded excited at the thought of seeing their leader.

Suddenly, the whispers were cut off abruptly, and a tense silence filled the air. It had gotten so quiet Zuko thought that breathing too loudly would expose them. The prince found himself in the third row, though it did not provide the best view it meant that he was reasonably hidden from anyone who might have been looking for the prince of the Fire Nation. A figure cloaked from head to toe in black marched into Zuko's line of sight, the prince glared at the man who was trying to topple his family and destabilise his country. The whispers returned again, the men murmured in excitement, anticipating what their leader might do or say. Zuko sneaked a glance at Katara, the waterbender glanced back and nodded, showing her unwavering support. The dark figure raised a hand and the murmuring faded away, like a breeze.

"Valiant brothers and sisters, I want to thank you all for risking your lives, for willing to come to the backdrop of this peninsula, thank you for coming to the Yu Yan Islands."

A murmur of approval rose up at his words, but the leader raised his hand and all murmurs ceased.

"We came here with the anticipation of a fierce fight, but unfortunately it has not come to pass, some of you are relieved but I also understand that some of you are disappointed."

A whisper of consent rose amongst the people, the Junfa waited for the whispers to die down before continuing.

"But stay strong my brothers, for the time will come soon, the hour of reckoning will be here and a call to arms the likes of which you have never seen before will resonate across the land. Every man and woman will be called upon to hold up the banner of freedom as we overthrow the monarchy!"

Zuko felt his entire body go numb with shock as the people around him cheered, men and women, alike threw their fists into the air roaring with the delight at the thought of the royal family's legacy burnt to ash. The prince had suspected as much, but to have it put in such a blatant manner was shocking.

"So stay sharp, my brothers and sisters, be vigilant, for the call can come at anytime and we must be ready, there can be no mistakes when freedom is at stake!"

A cheer followed these words, the Junfa stood silent, enjoying the feeling of exhilaration that his words created.

"Now go! Man your posts, sharpen your blades and oil your armour. We prepare for war!"

Anger reared its head like a venomous snake within Zuko, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in an attempt to control himself as the surrounding torches flared as if doused in oil. People were now moving, the long rows broke apart and the rigid formations disintegrated, but Zuko stood still, paralysed by anger and torn between charging after the Junfa and walking away. A strong urge to end the man's life coursed through his veins, a feeling he had never felt before began to grow, curdling his soul and feeding his anger. Zuko was hit with the strong urge to burn this man to ash, he did not care if there were people surrounding, he did not care if they would try to hurt him, all he wanted to do was hurt the man who had caused him so much trouble.

The prince was pulled out of his thoughts by a gentle but firm hand.

"Come on," whispered Katara, amidst buzz of busy people. "We need to move, now."

Suddenly, the world came back to him, he could hear the people, he could feel the excitement, but more importantly he could feel his hand in Katara's own. It was if he was pulled out of a pool of water, he was washed with a sense of awareness and the intensity of his hatred and anger made him recoil in shame. Katara dragged him away to a dark corner, away from prying eyes and snooping ears, a secluded corner amidst trees. The waterbender had not taken off her helmet, a smart choice considering their situation but Zuko wished she would take it off just so that he could look into her eyes.

"Zuko, I know what you're thinking-"

The prince looked at her in surprise, surely, she wasn't implying that…

"I understand how you feel but rescuing the Khan and his supporters is what's important."

"You _don't _know how I feel" growled Zuko, before he could help himself.

Katara had opened her mouth to say something but paused at the prince's words.

Zuko cursed himself for hurting her. "Forgive me," was all he could say.

Katara shook her head.

"No, I get it," she whispered, she sounded sympathetic but there was a hint of urgency in her voice that indicated something else was on her mind. "But Zuko, we have to make a choice…"

She trailed off knowing that Zuko didn't need anymore clarification, the prince himself understood that they had come to a crossroads. They had landed on the island with the intention of working together, but there had been too many twists in this plot, there were many players in the game and their disposition had changed. Zuko's heart was with the people of the Yu Yan, the innocent who had been caught in a game of leverage and deception, but his interests had been directed elsewhere. The Junfa, the leader of the T'ien Ti was here on the island, why would he make his appearance here after hiding in the shadows for so long? What did he mean when he said that the hour of freedom is at hand? These were questions that burned in the firebender's mind and nagged his conscience. Zuko knew that he could not commit to the task that Katara wanted him to do, as a prince, he had an obligation to protect his people from all those who tried to throw them into the pit of chaos. The traps maybe in motion, but he had the chance to unravel it all. There was no way they could continue together, from here on end, they would have to separate. The question was, will Katara see his way?

* * *

Life had thrown its share of obstacles at Zuko, placing him in positions he never imagined he would be in. The prince never thought that he would be walking amongst his enemies, those who had hidden in the shadows of a mountain now camped in the open, bearing an odd pride in their obvious presence. The T'ien Ti were on high alert tonight, and the smallest mistake would be enough to raise the alarm. Zuko did not mind blending in when Katara was with him. But she was now gone, departed on her mission to free the Khan's supporters.

The T'ien Ti camp was spread out in a large square formation; simple white tents were set up two feet apart from each other. Each tent was barely enough for one man to fit in a sleeping bag. Men had set up campfires around certain tents, where they gathered in groups to talk, they were all terse conversations, perhaps discussing what might happen with the Yu Yan and Fire Nation. The stiff atmosphere of the camp, allowed Zuko's own stiff posture to blend without notice. The prince walked through the camp, nodding to some of the men in an attempt to feign acknowledgement, while keeping a sharp eye for the Junfa's tent.

The prince found himself wandering through the camp, even onto the borders when he finally found it. The Junfa's tent was set up on a small hill that overlooked the camp and looked like a small house compared to the rudimentary setups of his followers. Zuko felt his pulse quicken in excitement.

'_I'm so close' _he thought '_But I have to be careful'_

The prince found himself on the outskirts of the camp, hence, they were not many men around and the sentry's attention was elsewhere. The hill was an easy climb because it was not steep and the ground not slippery, allowing the prince to climb up very quickly. The prince found himself staring at the side of tent, its interior was glowing with a yellow light, revealing two shadows sitting opposite each other, one figure seemed to be preoccupied while the other was still like a statue. Zuko sneaked around, hoping for a small opening, the prince moved to the back of the tent where he noticed the yellow light spill out onto the ground. Zuko couldn't help but smile to himself when he saw the opening. The prince sneaked towards the opening and positioned himself so that he could hear the conversation taking place while remaining unseen.

The voice of the Junfa, still fresh in Zuko's memory greeted him from within the tent.

"I thank you for taking the time to meet me, Lieutenant Lee…. Or should I say former Lieutenant?"

Zuko felt an unpleasant lurch in the pit of his stomach. '_Lee? What is he doing here?_'

"I'm glad you're here, Junfa," spoke Lee, a monotone that expressed no emotion, it was clear that Lee had business to discuss with the Junfa.

Zuko could easily imagine the man sitting with his legs folded and his hands on his knees, a tense look on his face. "It saves the time I had to take to meet you."

"How goes the hunt for Prince Zuko?"

The Junfa dismissed Lee's words with a change of topic, as if he were dismissing a servant with a wave of his hand.

"He remains unseen," said Lee, and Zuko could just imagine him clenching his fists agitation. What was it that was so urgent for him to discuss? "There are two options as to his whereabouts: He could either be hiding or disguised as one of your men."

"Which is one more likely?" asked the Junfa, a light slurping noise followed his words and Zuko suspected that he was drinking tea.

"I maybe wrong, but I suspect that the prince is amongst your own, hiding is far too difficult with both Yu Yan and T'ien Ti soldiers on sharp watch."

Zuko felt a pang of pain in his chest, the ones who were close to you could be your most dangerous foe. It was also now evident to the prince, why the Junfa was willing to place so much responsibility on Lee even though his allegiance to the group was only days old. Lee had something that few people had, an understanding of Zuko's thinking, knowledge of the Junfa's enemy which was far more valuable than anything else.

"How long will it take to find him?"

A short pause followed these words, Zuko held his breath, fearful that his breathing would expose him.

"You know the answer to that, Junfa," spat Lee.

Zuko could hear the anger in his voice, and he could easily conjure Lee's face, fine features warped into a look of barely concealed anger.

"I came here to discuss a different matter, our agreement."

"Agreement, you say? I remember the terms, do not push me, Lieutenant," said the Junfa.

"One day, when I was fourteen, I ran into two military officials, they both claimed that I resembled someone. When I asked my mother who was it, she refused to answer, moments later, while I was away… she was killed."

Zuko felt a knot tighten in his chest, as if someone was constricting his air passages. The word 'mother' echoed in his head and he had to force himself to focus on the conversation in the tent.

"What I want to know is," hissed the former Lieutenant. "Why was she killed? What secret was she keeping? You said you had the answers and I want them."

Zuko waited with bated breath, praying to the Spirits that no one would interfere. A long silence followed, Lee's words, for a moment, Zuko felt that the Junfa would not grant Lee's demand.

"Do you know how I was able to successfully infiltrate the palace and almost assassinate the prince?"

Zuko thought back to the day two assassins had entered his home and had almost killed him, forcing Iroh to take him to Shu Jing and summon Katara to accelerate his recovery.

"I provided the times when the guard's shifts changed," said Lee.

"You did, but how were my men able to navigate the large complex of the palace? How did they know which way to go without getting lost and raising the alarm?"

"You provided the information," said Lee.

"Indeed, I did," said the Junfa, sounding pleased. "But how do you think I was able to get such information?"

"Why don't you tell me," hissed Lee.

"As I told the prince and I am telling you, I did not always spend my time in Sozin. I came from a small rural village. When I was your age, I joined the army, drunk on the idea of glory to the Nation, unfortunately, after ten years in the frontline I saw a different story,"

The Junfa paused for effect, the prince concluded that the man was a master orator, but more importantly, did Zuko really meet the leader of the T'ien Ti and not realize it? Was it after the events at Sozin?

"But I had suffered an injury that was to handicap my abilities on the battlefield for a long time, I had no choice but to leave the army, but word of my prowess reached the Fire Lord's ears and he offered me a position in his palace,"

"You mean?"

"Yes, I was head of the Royal Guard under Fire Lord Azulon, a position that you once occupied. There is not a single nook or crevice of the palace that isn't known to me. While I was there, I was knowledgeable not just in the geological facts of the palace, but the dark secrets of the family who lived in it."

Zuko felt a shiver go down his spine, and he steeled himself for what might come.

"Azulon's two sons, grew up to be two very different individuals," explained the Junfa, "Iroh, was proud, steeped in an old-fashioned sense of honour, where a man must tackle his problems head on and wrestle them into submission. To be the lord of his country, a warrior of myth and the pride of his family, that was Iroh's dream and he found his calling in the military. Ozai, on the otherhand, was a different case, despite his prowess in bending, he did not find the battlefield as appealing as his brother did, politics was where his interest was and when he was young he entered a world of shadows, where battles were not fought with swords and fire but leverage and deception."

It spooked Zuko that his enemy knew so much about his family and had once been so close, what had happened that a man so close to his family would turn on them?

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Lee.

"To make my point, about the brothers," said the Junfa. "Iroh was a disciplined man who did not deceive people though he could read other's deception. Ozai, on the otherhand, was the embodiment of lies, and he had many secrets. Before he was a married man, Ozai had an affair with a young lady, a noblewoman married to one of the most powerful generals in Azulon's court. The prince had his affair for four months, he would meet her in secret, in the palace or throughout the city."

Zuko was surprised to hear this story about Ozai, he may have not known all the details, and the source itself is questionable but it seemed like Ozai was an actual human being with feelings.

"The Fire Lord turned a blind eye to this, for he did not care what his younger son, so long as it did not deter the war effort. But one day, something happened that shattered this little melodrama: Ozai impregnated the noblewoman, while her husband was away at the front,"

Zuko's heart fluttered uneasily at these words, could it be? Was what this man was saying true? The prince's mind was numb and he could not think.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" snapped Lee, "I'm getting there, Azulon could not let this get out, for it would damage relations with his finest general, and so he ordered me to kill the child after the mother had given birth."

Those words did not surprise Zuko at all, Azulon was not known for his sympathy, even when it came to children.

"The Fire Lord wanted the child gone but I was human, I had a conscience, and so I could not kill a baby. So I devised a plan where everyone's needs would be met."

"Pray, tell, what was this glorious scheme of yours? Though it has no relation to me."

The Junfa chuckled, "All in good time, when the woman gave birth to the child, a boy. I handed him to one of the palace maidens, telling her to raise the child as her own. When she fled with the child in the middle of the night, I told the Fire Lord that I had you killed. I did not know where the maiden went with the boy but later on I found out that she went to North Chung-Ling."

The dots were connected to form the drawing and the truth hit Zuko, as hard as Azula's lightenin.

_'By Agni, this can't be….._'

Inside the tent, he could hear Lee mutter.

"No way,"

"Yes," said the Junfa. "The reason why you grew up in a gutter, the reason your mother was killed, the reason you were denied your heritage, all comes down to this…. You are a son of Fire Lord Ozai."

The wind howled as an unnatural silence fell upon the grounds, Zuko could feel his own heart pounding, shock rendering his body numb.

'_Lee? Ozai's son? But…' _

The sound of Lee's voice jarred the prince out of his thoughts.

"Am I really supposed to believe that?" asked the Lieutenant. "That I'm the illegitimate son of the former Fire Lord?"

"I gain nothing by lying to you," said the Junfa. "Search the Dragon Bone Catacombs, it stores records on every dark happening in the palace. I had my suspicions ever since we met at Sozin, and what had happened to your mother confirms it."

oAnother unpleasant bolt struck Zuko

'_Sozin!' _

Was the Junfa hiding amongst the people when he was there? How did he meet Lee?

"Do you realize something?" asked the Junfa. "You're Ozai's son… that means that you're Prince Zuko's half-brother. Isn't that right, my prince?"

A searing plume of flame jettisoned through the tent, inches above Zuko's head. The prince rolled away and leapt to his feet. A round hole large enough for a man to fit through had been burnt through the tent. The prince could see two people on their feet, one was a lean figure cloaked in black with brown skin and dark eyes that glowed with smugness. The other was a taller and broader figure, who Zuko knew was Lee. In the background, Zuko could hear people yelling, he did not have much time to escape. The Junfa spread out his arms, from anybody else the gesture would have looked like welcome but he knew that the Junfa was mocking him.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Prince Zuko," said the Junfa, his tone dripping with malicious delight. "I've been waiting for this moment since we last parted."

"Parted? I've never met you before!" snapped Zuko, he kept his eyes locked on the man who was speaking not daring to look at his old friend.

The Junfa gasped and his hands flew to his chest.

"I'm hurt, prince Zuko," he said. "I would have thought that you would remember me, but I guess the royal family is far too busy mingling with the finest of the nobility to remember faceless commoners such as us."

Zuko gritted his teeth in frustration, biting down the urge to respond to the man's provocation. The Junfa took a step forward, closer to Zuko and away from Lee.

"Perhaps I can help you," said the Junfa, he reached up and threw of his hood with flourish and Zuko was presented with a face he never imagined he would encounter under these circumstances.

"Zac? Zac Fou? It was you," snapped Zuko, anger burst forth like a raging volcano spilling out of control as his fists lit up with flame."It was _you _the entire time."

"You are correct sir!" said Zac Fou, "Your struggle to put down the riotous fires of North Chung-Ling, that fateful decision to send the Dragon Regiment to Sozin, that _glorious_, bloody battle at the foot of the Dai Chi Mountains, the attempt on your life, your Lieutenant's tragic betrayal, the coup of the Yu Yan… _every _single moment that unwound the fabric of stability and brought you to this moment has been courtesy of,"

Zac Fou tapped his temple with his forefinger."Me."

This was not the stoic, humble old man that Zuko had encountered at Sozin, there was an aura of charisma, a radiance of arrogance and a shield of egotism that Zuko had seen in his father, convincing the prince that he was indeed the leader of a terrorist group trying to overthrow his Uncle.

"Of course, I never dreamt that you would just amble into an enemy camp and plop yourself into my hands," Said the Junfa, his eyes gleamed with malicious delight. "You wanted to find information, did you not? You wanted to know who I was and what my purpose was. Well, unfortunately you will get neither, but I _will _tell you this."

He paused for effect and his golden eyes glowed unnaturally in the semi-darkness of the ruined tent. "By dawn tomorrow, Fire Lord Iroh's head will be severed from his body and hung on a pike for every single man, woman and child to spit on."

Zuko roared like a dragon and unleashed a volley of fire so bright it could have been seen from the skies. For a moment, Zuko's vision was filled with glowing colours of yellow and blue, blinded by the product of his own power, he could feel his skin blistering under the intensity of the fire. For a moment, the fire lapsed into the skies cascading clouds that lit up the sky.

Zuko took a deep breath, glaring at the spot where Zac Fou had stood, as if he was able to see through the flame. Eventually, the fire faded away, there was nothing left of the tent but ashen rabble, smouldering in the darkness. The fire simmered down and the thick veil of smoke faded away. When everything cleared, Zuko could see a dark figure standing in the backdrop of a hill.

'_No way…' _

Suddenly, the lingering smoke cleared away, there had been no breeze but the smoke had faded as if pulled away by some external force, Zuko recognised as the work of a bender. Zac Fou was standing where he had been before the prince attacked, his clothes not even singed. Despite the intensity of Zuko's attack, the Junfa had not been touched.

"Hmmm…. I see your bending has more power when angered,"

The nefarious voice of Zac Fou hung about the air like a stale stench, Zuko clenched his fists in surprise.

"It is a disposition we firebenders share, do you not find it ironic that I could almost call you my brother on the basis of being a firebender?"

Zuko was breathing hard, his body trying to recover from the attack he had unleashed, the attack that had been effortlessly negated by Zac Fou.

"You can't fool me," hissed Zuko, speaking as his lungs tried to gulp as much air as possible. "You and I are nothing alike."

"Don't be so sure of that," said Zac Fou, with a grin that bore brilliant white teeth.

"We're both leaders who serve a purpose, looking to rebuild what has been lost, but that is where the similarity ends."

_'He's stalling, waiting for his men to catch me, I have to get out of here…. But where's Lee?'_

Lee was nowhere to be seen, a small part of Zuko, festering and growing with each passing moment, could not afford to leave his friend behind, a friend who he had just discovered was his own brother.

"Prince Zuko, the scarred heir who had to battle his own sister to legitimize his birthright, the weary warrior who had brought an end to a war that ravaged the world, and now the visionary leader who wants to rebuild his country's shattered economy. All so poetic, all so grand, all so delightful to the ears, but there is one problem. Can you not see it?"

Zac Fou had moved away from Zuko. The prince's body were starting to recover, but he was still in no position to be moving, in his anger, he had unleashed a volley of flame beyond the capacity of his body and he was now paying the price through lost time, time that could have been spent escaping was instead spent listening to the ramblings of a man waiting for him to be captured.

"I don't know what you are talking about," snapped Zuko. "But I saved my country from itself!"

"Indeed you did," replied Zac Fou, "But your grand 'vision' is far too short sighted to ever create a sustainable future."

"You're just rambling," snapped Zuko, "Rambling like the old fool you are!"

"Am I?" asked Zac Fou, looking at Zuko with an arched brow of query.

"Iroh is now a man of peace, a pacifist drunk on the delights of tea, when _you _take the throne, all will be well and good, but what about after your time has ended? What then for the future generations? Who is to say that somewhere down the line, a new Fire Lord will disregard the peace and diversity you fought for? Who is to say that a new Fire Lord, in a bid to satisfy his own lustful greed will enslave the people to die for an agenda that satisfies only him? The cycle will start again and the people will lose their freedom, mere cogs in a machine created for destruction. Liberty, happiness and individuality, all of that will fade away and we will be right back to where we started. Do you not see?" said Zac Fou, his grin growing into a sneer. "You're not creating peace, all you're doing is rebuilding the machinations that will set the world aflame, again."

Zac Fou had not even raised a hand to hurt Zuko, but he may as well have slapped the prince across the face and spat on him. Zuko was enraged and he opened his mouth to argue, but he could not find the words to articulate his defence. A thin whisper, faint as the water in air, told him that perhaps, Zac Fou may have had a point.

"Do you realize now?" queried Zac Fou, with an air of triumph. "So long as power is concentrated solely in the hands of the Fire Lord, the people will never be free, they will always be looking behind their backs, watching, wondering, fearing, when their own ruler will turn his flames upon them."

"I will never let harm come to my people." roared Zuko,

"No! _We _will never let that happen!" snapped Zac Fou, his eyes seemed to bulge with anger, glowing with intense hate. "We, the T'ien Ti who pleaded for the welfare of the people while your ancestors fought for control over this archipelago, We, who were slaughtered like animals, We, who lay dormant for more than a hundred years because of that purge, we will overthrow the Fire Lords, and give the people the power to decide their own fate."

In two steps, Zac Fou had closed the distance between him and Zuko, with unnatural strength; he grabbed Zuko by the scruff of his neck and lifted him as if he were a ragged doll.

"Prince Zuko, the reign of the Fire Lords will end, and it will end tonight!"

The man who he met at Sozin, the man who had presented himself as the leader of the hapless people of a destroyed city, the man who had managed to created a delusion of the humble worker who had lost so much had lifted the veil of secrecy and Zuko now understood his true nature. Zac Fou was no saviour, he was a villain, a demon who had conjured a mask of humanity to fool the prince and his allies. It was now clear to Zuko, that this man had engineered Sozin's destruction while hiding amongst its masses, it was unquestionably evident that he had planned out the obliteration of the Dragon Regiment while pretending to whimper for its leader's fate. Looking at the Junfa, he knew as Zac Fou, Zuko now understood, this man had not been hiding behind walls but behind the faces of the masses, he operated on deception, betrayal and secrecy, everything that Zuko despised. The prince hated this man with a passion.

The dark atmosphere came to life as a thick stream of fire blazed through the air. Zuko felt Zac Fou release him and he fell to the ground again, he got to his feet and looked around for his saviour. Lee was standing no further than three paces to his right. Unlike Zac Fou, Lee had obviously been affected by Zuko's assault, his clothes were charred black and signed in many places, but his eyes burnt with intensity as he glared at Zac Fou.

"That was some attack, my prince," he said, "You almost had me,"

Zuko smirked at the man before getting to his feet.

"No more than you deserve,"

The prince could not discern how he felt at the sight of his former Lieutenant, certainly he was glad that the man was alive but a shadow of apprehension clouded Zuko's view of Lee's actions.

The prince turned away from Lee, whatever issues they had could wait, but right now there was the problem of Zac Fou.

"So," said the leader. "Does the dog go crawling back to his master?"

"No, the dog is going to burn you to ashes," snapped Lee.

He unleashed two quick streams of fire and followed it up with a kick. Zuko could feel strength return to his limbs and he released his own volley of flame. Powerful attacks rushed at Zac Fou from different angles, but he was able to batter them away as if he was attacked by children. Zuko summoned his flame daggers to both hands, the luminescent weapons glowing with malice in the dark. The prince charged at the leader of the T'ien Ti and he felt his limbs fall into the familiar routines he used to exercise daily. Zuko moved fluidly, attacking then morphing into defence effortlessly. But no matter how fast Zuko moved, regardless of the strength behind each move, he was always one step behind. Zac Fou ducked in and out of Zuko's attacks, moving with the agility of a much younger man. The prince suddenly, felt pain erupt in his side and he was knocked backwards. Zuko hit the ground and he gasped for air, when he came to he could see Zac Fou bearing down on him with a fist burning with fire. Zuko could do nothing but hold his hands up, his instincts telling him that he was too late. Lee leapt at Fou, brandishing a fiery sword, he slashed aggressively at Fou who was forced to leap back to avoid the assault. Lee did not even turn to acknowledge Zuko but continued his attack. The prince got to his feet and looked around, a line of torches could be seen rushing up the hill. They had only moments before they could escape. Zuko turned and ran forward, he leapt into the air and kicked hard unleashing two volleys of fire. Lee exchanged blows with Fou who had summoned his own weapon until the last minute when he leapt out of harms way. Zac Fou parried the two volleys sending each one into the ground.

"We have to go," hissed Zuko, "Soldiers will be coming here at any moment,"

"No, _you _have to go, I'll stay here and distract them," snapped Lee, he was panting hard as he spoke, clearly, Zac Fou had pushed him.

"He won't fall for such a distraction," snapped Zuko. "We have to retreat, now!"

"You're not going to give me orders, are you?" said Lee. "I'm not your Lieutenant, anymore."

"No, I'm asking you as my friend," Zuko was not yet ready to call him brother.

The words made Lee hesitate and he glanced at Zuko, brown eyes clashed with golden in a battle for compliance.

"You say we don't have much time?" asked Lee.

"Look for yourself," said Zuko, gesturing down the hill, men were so close that it was now possible to distinguish the accessories that made each man unique.

Lee glanced at Zuko and nodded,

"Shall we try that?"

In one swift movement, the prince and his former lieutenant stood back to back. They had only discussed this in theory but had never actually attempted it because it was considered far too dangerous. If it worked, they could take down an entire force and escape, if it failed they would be burnt beyond human recognition. Zuko did not think about success or failure, the task at hand was all that mattered. Both benders summoned large fireballs that illuminated the hill they stood on. Zuko took a deep breath and began to move his arms in a circular motion, over his head and beneath his knees. With each repetition he could feel the chi flow faster, gushing through the dams of self-control, with each motion the flames grew stronger, larger and more intense. Zuko's heart was pounding with energy, the blood rushing with the spike of adrenaline. The prince could not hear Zac Fou shouting, he could not hear the panic cries of men as they clambered the hill. All that mattered was the fire, the chi and the power flowing through his veins. Then in one fell swoop, both prince and lieutenant brought their fists down on the ground. An explosion rocketed through the atmosphere, a plume of ash and fire rose into the sky, looming over the islands and blocking out the sky. Fire and lightening cackled with glee, choking the clear, starry sky, corrupting it into a black, smoking menace. To anyone looking from a far it was as if an unholy demon was making its entrance into the world. From the distance of the camp, a waterbender hoped with all her heart that her prince was still alive.

* * *

The Palace had been his home, within its expansive walls he had lived out beautiful memories that made him smile, witnessed heinous acts that made him grimace and terrible memories that should buried deep in the dark recesses of his mind. Iroh should have felt like he was coming back home but instead he felt nothing. The Fire Lord felt like a stranger, entering… no _invading _someone else's home, his footsteps haunting the empty corridors like an unwelcome ghost. Iroh walked with intent, making his way directly towards the chambers, where he knew his ministers were engrossed in a meeting, intent on passing the War Minister's Act. Iroh could not bring himself to trust any of his ministers with power over the army and he had to prevent the act from passing. The retired general could only hope that he was not too late. The doors to the chambers were closed, flanked by two common palace guards. They gasped at the sight of their Fire Lord.

"F-Fire Lord Iroh!" they gasped, "We weren't expecting you,"

"Should I be sorry to disappoint?" asked Iroh, his eyes were focused on the doors, as if he could see the proceedings within.

"O-o-of course not" said the guards, "But we cannot let you in, Minister Yen has ordered that no one be allowed in until the meeting is over,"

"Tell me, is this Minister Yen's palace?" asked Iroh, turning his eyes to look at the guard who had spoken.

"O-o-of course not, sir" stuttered the guard.

"But-"

"Minister Yen does not have authority in my home anymore than I have power in an Earth Kingdom prison, is that clear?"

"Yes, sire,"

"Good, now open the door,"

Iroh took a deep breath, as he folded his hands into the sleeves of his robes, while the guards bustled to comply. Iroh needed to stop the proceedings from taking place, he needed to ensure that power lay within his hands and stability prevailed over chaos.

Iroh could sense the tension as soon as he entered the room, his sharp senses attuned to the signals of emotion were quick to catch the tense posture of each his ministers. The brief moment of shock when their eyes widened in horror and the pale hands as each one clenched their fist in anticipation. Iroh's eyes scanned the ministers of the Dragon Council, men he had appointed to each position, men he had once trusted to lord over the recovery of his nation in his quick scan of the room, Iroh noticed that Jeong Jeong was not present in the meeting. Finally, his eyes fell on Minister Yen. The tall, thin man smiled at him as rose to his feet and spread his arms in genial warmth.

"Welcome, back Fire lord Iroh, though, I must say that we weren't expecting your return."

"It would seem that I am the one who has been left in the dark," said Iroh, "I see that you are looking to pass the War Minister's Act,"

"A response deemed appropriate to the-"

"A response that does not have my approval,"

Iroh did not shout, he did not even raise his voice, but the lamps that had been burning low began to grow brighter. There was not a single soul in the room who did not notice this.

"I am sorry to hear of your disapproval," said Minister Yen, whose eyes flitted onto the lamps before focusing on his Fire Lord once again. "But times have been trying since your departure and Prince Zuko's absence has not helped, terrorists run rampant in our city and the one person who has authority over the military is _conveniently _absent."

"Where I go and the timing of my departure is none of your concern, Minister" snapped Iroh, walking around the large table and closing the distance between him and Yen.

"Of course not, Fire lord," said the Interior Minister. "But I can say the same thing about you and the military,"

Those words made Iroh pause in his steps, he glanced at each of the ministers, each of whom quavered under his glare.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly as I said," sneered the Minster, "The 'War Minister's Act' has passed Fire Lord Iroh, with a clear majority, I am now Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces."

Within the depths of his robe, Iroh clenched his fists and he felt his heart racing.

'_I am too late'_

Before his mind could process anymore, he felt two people grab him roughly by his arms and hold him firm.

"As I was saying," said Minister Yen, turning his attention back to the Ministers. "This terrorist group has launched countless attacks that have devastated our already fragile infrastructure and attacked some of the most prominent civil workers. We need to put an end to this terror before it can spread beyond our control."

Iroh could only stare in surprise, Yen had taken over the meeting as if Iroh was nothing more than a servant serving tea. The former general realized that it had only taken Yen a few days to bring the council under his influence, was his grip on the Throne that fragile?

"How do you propose to defeat the terrorists, Minister Yen?"

"The solution is simple," said Yen, "A swift, decisive and brutal retribution, with help from allies, of course."

"Allies?" queried one of the ministers.

"Indeed, I have been in contact with a merchant whose family has provided weapons and men to the Fire Lord while the Hundred Year War was in full swing, he has agreed to assist us."

"By providing men and weapons?"

"Indeed, the clan leader is unable to meet us in person owing to the current situation in the capital, but he has granted me my request" said Yen.

The minister made his way to the Fire Throne that had for so long been empty, then to the shock of everyone in the room, Yen sat down on the throne, a position that had been Iroh's.

"Send word to the army, all regiments are to cooperate with the T'ien Ti, to hunt down and wipe out The Order of the White Lotus." Yen turned to look at Iroh with a malicious look on his face. "The city shall be cleansed of their presence,"

* * *

_A/N: I know I promised quicker updates, but real life has not been kind to me, events have taken place that killed my writing mojo. I was also hit by a writer's block when I wrote several versions of chapter 26 before trashing them. Then when I finally had it figured out, somebody stole my USB and I lost half my chapter. Finally, when everything was sorted out and I got back to writing again, I decided that rather than posting one chapter after such a long time I decided to take a little extra time and post two chapters. I can't make any promises but I will crank out Chapter 28 as soon as I am done with it. _

_But now away from depressing thoughts and onto the story. What do you think Aang will do? What choice will he make? Do you think he is alive? What do you think Zuko should about Lee in light of the information he had heard? Should he accept Lee as a friend and brother? Or cast him into exile? Read and review expressing your opinion.  
_


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